Philosophy of Dreams
by Patrice J
Summary: A powerful shaman dreams of a dark presence in his world... just as the Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough arrive.
1. Chapter 1

Their world was fading before them. A vague sense of worry had grown into desperation as the volcanic soil began to yield the new, greener plants. These leafy bushes produced flowers, and the flowers produced endless seeds, and within a few generations the entire planet had changed. It had shifted from a barren, cold world to a lush, semi-tropical jungle, and this new environment could not sustain them much longer.

They would have to find a vessel to take them to a different home. They did not possess the technology to build a vessel of their own, but they understood on a rudimentary level how to operate one. The knowledge was a part of them and had been for eons. It had waited within each one, dormant until needed. Now was the time.

They began to search for transport, understanding that it might not arrive on time but still looking, watching, and waiting. They had no other choice. Their entire species was at stake.

* * *

The Erbruca were a thriving, if small, civilization. The elders told tales of the ancestors and their struggle to survive against the endless cold. The spirits, of course, had helped them, answering their prayers with the smoke and heat that sometimes bubbled up from the small springs and lakes. The spirits taught the ancestors magic, showed them how to dream prophetically and understand the messages.

Then the great fires had come, enveloping nearly everything, killing almost all of the people. A few survived, somehow. Perhaps they fled before the eruption, sensing that a terrible change was coming, possibly reading it from their dreams. Those few struggled but persisted with a tenacity born of sheer will and belief in the magic that had saved them. Over time, as the world began to thrive, the ancestors had flourished, too. They learned to love the plants and flowers and fruit, using the leaves and seeds for new kinds of magic. And the magic made their land flourish even more.

The Erbruca village stretched across a fertile valley, where the people cultivated numerous crops and raised small animals. Like the humans on the planet, a handful of animals survived the volcanic eruption years ago. Eventually their numbers grew as the planet's climate shifted and the vegetation proliferated.

A group of nearly thirty elders oversaw the village. They mediated when occasional arguments arose and helped ensure that the food was shared equitably. They advised the youngsters and, when asked, helped them to choose suitable mates. In short, they kept the village running smoothly and peacefully.

The shaman was the most respected of all the elders. He and his predecessors had been chosen to lead the rituals and make the magic that kept the spirits satisfied. The position was not one gained through inheritance. Rather, it was one earned through knowledge and deep spirituality. In each generation one young man outshone the others in his use of the spells and incantations. He was the one for whom the crops grew highest; it was his magic that nurtured the plants beyond the water and care given them by the farmers.

When the village shaman grew old and weak, the most promising among the young men would go to him and taste the elixir. He would dream then, and if his dreams pleased the shaman he would take the position, learning even more from the old shaman before he relinquished his spirit to the heavens.

Cabar had proven to be an exceptional shaman. He was only thirty-six years old, but he was as revered as any elder twice his age. He possessed a wealth of knowledge about the magic that could be made from the plants, and he could help any villager walk with the spirits in his or her dreams. He was also a fine mediator. He seemed able to melt away animosity with a wave of his hand. The crops had never been more lush, and the villagers had never felt as content as they did during the five years since Cabar became shaman.

The shaman rose early each day, before the sun peeked over the hills and blessed the morning with her rosy glow. He bathed his face and hands in one of the clear, cool streams then sat by its bank to await the tendrils of light that crept across the land, sending the darkness away for another day.

One morning, as he sat quietly in the gentle grayness of early dawn, he fell into a light sleep. He had remained awake through most of the night preparing and administering medicine and chanting to the spirits to help a woman who was delivering twins. Her labor was difficult, and the midwives feared that she would die, but, thanks to his magic and the spirits, she survived and delivered two healthy babies. Now Cabar was tired and sore, his palms raw from rubbing the herbs with the mortar, and his muscles aching from the accompanying, ceaseless movements. He permitted himself to close his eyes for a few minutes.

He awoke abruptly as the sunlight hit his face, blinking and squinting in the brightness. Tears prickled at his eyes, and he felt dizzy for an instant. His gaze shot to the water then up into the sky before he stood with a deep groan. Tears still streaming down his face, he walked with heavy steps back to the village.

* * *

"Turlough," said the Doctor, not bothering to look up from the book he held, "what do you know about soil?"

"Soil?" asked the erstwhile schoolboy. He sat at a small table in the console room, his hand hovering over a knight on the chessboard that Tegan had set up.

"Yes," responded the Doctor. "Soil, dirt, loam. Did you discuss properties of nitrogen as catalysts to fertilization in any of your chemistry classes?"

"No, not really. But then I suppose I never paid much attention to those lessons."

The Doctor glanced up over his spectacles. "No? Which ones did you attend to, then?"

"Some maths, some history," the Trion lad shrugged. "What are you studying, anyway?"

Tegan had abandoned the chess game temporarily to make a cup of tea, and the next move was hers, so Turlough felt idle at the moment. He stood to saunter over to the Time Lord.

"I'm just reviewing some basic soil science. I've been thinking of expanding my rose garden, but Mr. Lincoln is rather temperamental—he seems to require a very particular balance of—"

"You have a rose garden in here?" Turlough interrupted.

"Oh yes, among other things. The hillocks, for example, are rather charming when the TARDIS switches on the artificial Neraxian night sky."

Turlough was shaking his head in wonder. "I need to get out—or I suppose that's in—more."

"Feel free to wander about, but don't get lost. Tegan can tell you about the pitfalls of that."

The Australian stepped through the doorway. "I wouldn't recommend it," she said. "Take something to mark your way—"

"Ah, but not Tegan's lipstick, please," the Doctor interjected. "The TARDIS had a terrible time removing that from the walls."

Tegan humphed and handed him a steaming mug of tea. He looked at it with a hint of surprise but then smiled. "Thank you, Tegan."

"None for me?" asked Turlough.

"Two hands," Tegan replied. "Yours is in the kitchen."

The Doctor set his mug on the console and lowered his head to the book again. "What I really need," he muttered, "is some rich volcanic soil." He tapped a finger on the rim of the mug then looked up at one of the screens on the console. "I think…" he began, then quickly typed in a set of coordinates.

Tegan rolled her eyes. "Where are we off to now?"

"Someplace that you'll like, I think," he said. "It's all pretty flowers and gentle brooks."

She shook her head. "Last time I was in a place like that I was taken over by the Mara."

Balancing his mug perfectly as the TARDIS shuddered to a stop, the Doctor took a sip of his tea. "I'm familiar, at least by reputation, with the people here. It's nothing like Deva Loka. You'll be perfectly safe."

"I've heard that before." Tegan set her mug near the chessboard then walked to the door. "Well?" she asked, "who's going to open it? Let's see what kind of a place this really is."

True to the Doctor's word, Tegan found that she was surrounded by lush, vibrant flowers as soon as the stepped out of the TARDIS. Birds chirped happily in the trees, and she could hear the pleasant burbling of a stream not far away.

In a few moments the Doctor and Turlough joined her, though the Time Lord quickly wandered away to examine some nearby patches of soil. Turlough soon followed, strolling up a small rise to survey the land below.

"There's a large village down there," he called after a minute.

The Doctor walked toward the rise, looking out over the vista. "Ah, yes, that is the Erbruca civilization. They're a peaceful agrarian society."

"But let me guess," said Tegan as she joined them, "they worship giant spiders."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her. "No, Tegan, actually they have a very well-established religion centered around nature and the spirits of their ancestors."

"So they worship trees and dead people," she finished.

"It's much more complex than that," he corrected. "As a matter of fact, religion is a critical part of their lives. Their shaman is among the most revered members of their society."

"Something like the Mound Builders of North America?" asked Turlough.

"Yes, rather," responded the Doctor with some surprise. "I didn't realize that you were familiar with many other Earth cultures."

Turlough shrugged. "I had to write an essay about them last year. It was actually pretty interesting."

The Doctor smiled and clapped him gently on the back. "I'm glad to know that you have an affinity for cultural anthropology."

Turlough nodded toward the village. "Are we going down there to meet them?"

"I hadn't planned on it," the Doctor replied. "I thought we'd just gather some soil and be on our way."

"That's a first!" Tegan exclaimed with a roll of her eyes.

"Hmm, I think I should resent that," the Doctor muttered. "Come along, Turlough. Let's see if we can find just the right patch of soil." He led Turlough away.

Tegan walked a few feet to admire a particularly beautiful bloom. Its fragrance seemed to surround her, and she bent to take a sniff of the exotic perfume. A small rustling behind her caused her to straighten.

"Back so soon?" she asked. "I thought you wanted to find—" She stopped speaking when she saw the five men with spears standing directly behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

"Doctor!" Tegan's shout stopped the Time Lord in his tracks.

"That doesn't sound good," Turlough said. "I wonder what she's got into now?"

"Come on," the Doctor urged, already hurrying toward the source of the cry.

They found Tegan standing rather nervously in the center of a small group of armed men. She did not appear hurt, but Turlough felt certain that she was not enjoying her introduction to the local inhabitants. The men were lean but muscular. Their skin was well-tanned, and each had sharp gray eyes and long hair in varying shades of strawberry blonde, ranging from nearly pink to light copper.

"Hello," said the Time Lord amiably, slowing as he reached the group and holding up his hands to show that he carried no weapons. "I'm the Doctor."

The men glanced at him but did not respond.

The Doctor stepped a bit closer, watching the men carefully as he did. Their hands tightened on their spears, but they did not move the weapons. Thus encouraged, he extended his own hand toward Tegan and nodded toward her.

Hesitantly she took a few steps, but this movement, in combination with the Doctor's, spurred the men to action. In an instant they had shifted their weapons so that one pointed at Tegan and four sharp tips hovered unnervingly close to Turlough's and the Doctor's chests.

"That's not necessary," said the Doctor calmly. "We don't intend you any harm, and we haven't got any weapons."

The men did not back off, however. They exchanged several glances, then one said, "Come with us." He gestured with his spear, keeping the point only inches from the Doctor's neck.

"If you like," the Time Lord said. "Might I ask that Tegan walk beside me? It is our custom to escort a woman to a new place."

Tegan shot him a look, but her scowl softened when the men nodded and permitted her to move to the Doctor's side. He rested his hand lightly against the small of her back.

"Thanks," she murmured.

He responded with a nod and a small smile that told her not to feel nervous. Indeed, he appeared unruffled, seemingly unperturbed by the spears that continued to hover nearby. She noticed that he was watching the men closely, studying their expressions and gaits with considerable interest.

They walked along in silence, Tegan forcing herself to remain quiet despite her garrulous nature. She had not relaxed completely, but some of the fierce fear that overwhelmed her initially had subsided.

They reached the outskirts of the village within twenty minutes. They were met with stares as they began moving through the community. People were engaged in various activities—weaving, preparing seeds for planting, making pottery, watching small groups of children who sat rather uncomfortably near the huts.

The Doctor continued to look about carefully, taking in their surroundings with an expression that gradually changed from affability to concern.

"What's wrong?" Tegan asked softly, finally unable to resist uttering a few words.

The Doctor shook his head. "Not now, Tegan."

After a few minutes, they were shown to a large hut and told to go inside. "Wait here," one of the men instructed them. They noticed that two others remained stationed just outside the doorway.

Turlough looked at the interior of the structure. "It's well-built," he commented. "They seem to have a basic grasp of engineering and architecture."

"Yes," said the Doctor, running his hand over one of the smooth poles that formed the support system for the hut. "Since becoming successful farmers several dozen generations ago they've had the time to develop their skills in other areas."

"Well bully for them," Tegan said. "But what do they want with us? What's with the spears? You said they were a peaceful society."

"They are," the Doctor responded. "But we're strangers, so it's not unexpected that they should feel wary of us. They haven't tried to harm us. I think they're just being cautious."

"Maybe, but something's bothering you, isn't it?" she asked. "I can tell by your expression."

"Can you?" He ran a hand over his cheek and chin. "Yes, I suppose it's rather obvious."

"Well," she said impatiently, "what is it?"

"Perhaps nothing," the Doctor answered.

"Or perhaps something," she finished. "And if it is, I want to know what you think is going on."

"All in good time, Tegan." With that he turned back toward the door to contemplate the guards again.

They stood stiffly, still gripping their spear handles. Two faced the door and two faced outward. In a minute all four stepped back, and three older men entered the hut, followed closely by the guards.

The Doctor extended his hand immediately. "Pleased to meet you," he said. "I'm the Doctor, and this is Tegan and Turlough." He nodded toward his companions.

All three men nodded gravely. One said, "What do you want here?"

"Oh," said the Doctor, "we're just visiting. We don't plan to stay long."

"Where are you from?"

The Doctor waved his hand in a rather vague motion. "Over there quite a way, beyond the hills."

"You've traveled far."

"You can say that again," Tegan murmured.

"What do you want with us?" asked another of the men.

The Doctor, still smiling, said, "Nothing at all. We apologize if we frightened you in any way. We didn't intend to disturb your village, but these gentlemen," he inclined his head toward the guards, "stumbled upon us and seemed to feel that we should come back here. But I want to assure you that we mean you no harm."

The older men seemed to scrutinize the visitors for several seconds before one of them spoke. "We represent the council of elders. I am Ennen." He turned his head toward the other elders and added, "Yare and Gemal."

All three men bowed their heads slightly in their culture's traditional greeting. The Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough responded in kind. Ennen turned toward the guards and motioned for them to leave then walked to several benches against one wall.

"Please sit," he said.

The Doctor obliged with a polite "thank you," and nodded to Turlough and Tegan to follow. The elders settled on an adjacent bench, still watching their visitors but appearing less suspicious.

"In your travels," began Yare, "what have you seen?"

Tegan opened her mouth to speak, but the Doctor silenced her with a cautioning look. He said, "Just your beautiful lands."

"But what did you see beyond our lands?" asked Ennen.

"Forests, fields, hills," replied the Doctor somewhat ambiguously. "You've never traveled outside of the village?"

"We've been a day's walk over the hills," said Gemal, "but no farther."

The Doctor nodded. "Well, your lands are the most fertile, and your village is by far the loveliest one here."

All three elders nodded, and Ennen said, "Thank you, Doctor. This is a place of peace, and we welcome you."

His words, however, were accompanied by worried glances from the other two elders. These did not escape the Doctor or his companions, but the Time Lord began discussing the crops instead. The men chatted for several minutes until a woman entered the hut.

With a slight, quick bow, she said, "Excuse me, but I must speak with you."

The elders stood. "What is it?" asked Yare.

"It's Cabar," she replied softly, almost as a whisper. "He's getting worse."

The Doctor stood, too. "Forgive me; I don't intend to intrude, but is someone ill?"

"Who's Cabar?" asked Tegan, finally giving in to the gnawing urge to speak.

"Excuse us," Ennen said, executing a cursory bow of his head to the guests. "We have to leave you for a while."

The Doctor reached for the elder's arm. "Wait, please. If Cabar is ill I may be able to help."

All three elders considered this for a moment, then Gemal turned to his peers and spoke. "Perhaps he should see them. It could help."

"Especially if you tell us what's going on," Tegan said.

"Cabar is our shaman," Ennen explained quickly. "When he returned from his morning meditation he was very upset. He said that he needed to speak with the spirits, to find out what they wanted and what magic was needed. He went to the place of dreams in his mind, and he's been unable to speak to anyone, or even to know that others are near, since then."

The Doctor nodded. "You must take us to him. It may be our very presence that's upset him."

As they walked out of the hut, Turlough asked, "What do you mean? How could our arrival here upset the shaman?"

"Some individuals who attain the position of shaman or its equivalent in cultures with a strong belief in magic actually possess some weak psychic abilities," the Doctor said. "These are what seemingly give them their powers. Occasionally they can have an accurate premonition or sense others' thoughts. If the shaman here has some ability, he may simply be reacting to our presence."

"How would he know about it?" asked Tegan. "We only arrived an hour ago, but he's been in a state since early morning."

"Yes," the Doctor acknowledged, "that is rather curious, but he may have sensed our arrival. On the other hand, this may have nothing to do with us at all." This thought seemed to concern the Doctor more than the possibility that their presence had caused the shaman's agitation.

Cabar's large hut was surrounded by many cultivated herbs and flowers. The elders led the visitors inside, where they found a man sitting rigidly in the center of the room, cross-legged with eyes closed. His mouth moved almost spasmodically, uttering incomprehensible syllables, almost like moans. A sheen of perspiration covered his skin.

Yare and Ennen spoke the shaman's name hesitantly, but this caused no response. The Doctor crouched before Cabar to watch him for several seconds before touching his wrist.

"What has he taken?" he asked, already looking at the various cups and bowls that lay about the room. He lifted several to sniff them.

"He drank the dreaming tea," replied Gemal.

"And is he usually in this condition after he drinks the tea?"

"No," Yare answered. "Usually he talks to the spirits for an hour at most then he wakes. He's been with the spirits since early this morning, and we can't wake him."

The Time Lord nodded. "I think he's taken a bit more than usual this time. He should awaken soon. But I wonder what made him put himself into this state. You said he was meditating before he became upset?"

Yare nodded. "Yes. He always goes out to the stream before the sun rises to greet the new day."

"Is the stream far from here?" asked the Doctor.

"No," replied Yare, "it's only about a ten-minute walk."

The Doctor continued to examine the cups and bowls, and without looking up said, "Turlough, take Tegan with you and have a look around the area where Cabar was this morning."

"What are we looking for?" inquired Turlough.

"Oh, anything unusual," the Doctor replied offhandedly. "Anything that seems out of order or that doesn't fit in."

"And what are you going to be doing while we're out there?" asked Tegan.

"I'm going to wait until Cabar wakes then have a talk with him. In the meantime, I want to find out more about the herbs he's used." He looked at Ennen. "Can you show them where he was this morning?"

Ennen nodded and beckoned for Tegan and Turlough to go with him. They left the hut with one final word of advice from the Doctor: "Oh, and Tegan, don't touch anything."

"What, you mean like crystals?" she asked sardonically. "Trust me, I've learned my lesson on that."

* * *

They had come so close to finding a vessel. They had begun to enter it, their leader forging ahead with the determination that abject desperation brings. But the atmosphere inside was choking, causing them great pain and interfering severely with their respiration. So, with tremendous disappointment, they had abandoned the ship.

They retreated to the caves where they had dwelt for generations, trying to ignore the dead who lay all around them. The leader remained very near the entrance, though the light and scents heavy in the air caused considerable discomfort. If only there were a way to remove the plants that had taken over the land… to create the barren terrain once again.

This monumental task was beyond their meager capabilities. So they waited once more, hoping beyond hope that another vessel would find them and take them to a place where they could live.

* * *

The walk to the stream was a pleasant one. The entire area was picturesque, with shades of flowers that Tegan had never seen before. Small butterflies drifted in the sunny air, alighting on blossoms to drink the sweet-smelling nectar. There was no hint of malevolence that she could sense; everything seemed tranquil.

After Ennen showed them where the stream was, he hurried back to the village, anxious to hear what Cabar would say when he awoke. Tegan and Turlough walked toward the clear water.

"I think he was sitting here," Turlough said, noticing a small indentation in the grass. He moved closer and bent to look at the crushed blades.

Tegan watched the water flowing, impressed by its absolute clarity. Small, silvery fish swam by, and insects resembling dragonflies hovered near the surface. The water looked so cool, and she was feeling a bit warm in the sunshine, so she bent to scoop up some water in her hand. She drank it and was surprised by its natural sweetness.

Turlough was crouched in the grass, trying to see if anything appeared odd, but as far as he could tell the area was safe and calm. When he looked up he saw Tegan lowering her hand; it was dripping, and she was licking her lips.

"What are you doing?" he asked, beginning to stand. "Did you drink from the stream?"

"Yes."

"You shouldn't have done that! We don't know if the water's safe—" As he stood, his foot slid on the slick blades of grass, and he stumbled. He reached out to a nearby rock in an attempt to keep his balance.

"Damn!" he spat out as the rough surface of the volcanic rock scraped his palm.

Tegan walked toward him. "Are you all right?"

He examined his palm for a moment. "Fine."

"Let me see," she said, reaching for his hand. "It's bleeding."

"Just a little. It's only a scrape."

"You should rinse it in the stream—the water's really cool and—"

"It's fine," he said rather curtly, pulling his hand away and dropping it to his side.

Tegan shrugged. "Suit yourself. But there's really nothing wrong with the water. For that matter, I don't see anything wrong out here at all. Let's go back to the village."

"Not a big nature lover, are you?"

"Pretty as it is, I'd rather be among people. Anyway, I want to see what the shaman has to say." She began walking.

Turlough wiped his palm on the inside of his jacket and followed her back through the trees and bushes toward the village.

* * *

Shortly after Tegan and Turlough departed with Ennen, Cabar began to regain consciousness. He ceased his murmurings, and his breathing became more even. The Doctor watched him with interest as he slowly awoke.

"He's coming around," the Time Lord commented to the three elders.

"Perhaps you should stand back," suggested Yare, "at least until we've told him about you."

The Doctor nodded and retreated to the far side of the hut while the elders talked softly with their shaman. After a few minutes they beckoned for him to return.

He bowed before the seated man then lowered himself to the ground to sit before Cabar. "It is an honor to meet you," he said.

Cabar bowed his head in return. "Thank you. They tell me that you have recently arrived here."

"Yes. I hope our arrival hasn't caused any anxiety among the people," he said, eager to obtain information but hesitant to plant ideas in the man's mind.

Cabar studied the Doctor's face for a moment. "You are a friend."

"Yes, I am, and I'd like to help you. I understand that you have been in the dream world for a very long time today—that you felt it was important to put yourself there very deeply."

The shaman nodded in acknowledgement.

"Why did you feel you needed to do that?" asked the Doctor. "Did it have something to do with my friends and me arriving here?"

Cabar shook his head slowly. "I'm not sure. As the sun was coming up this morning, I fell into a light sleep, and a dark spirit touched me."

The other elders drew in sharp breaths with this information. "Is it still with you?" asked Yare.

Cabar exhaled slowly. "No. When I left the stream it remained behind. But I wanted to find out why it came to me, what it wanted from our people."

"And was the answer revealed in your dreams?" asked the Doctor.

"No," the shaman replied. "The dreams were strange, mixed up. I must think about them; the spirits were very unclear."

With a slight frown creasing his forehead, the Doctor asked, "Do you believe that your village is being threatened in some way?"

Cabar sighed. "I don't know."

Abruptly the Doctor stood. "Tegan and Turlough are at the stream. If whatever you felt remained there, they could be in danger. Show me where they are." He took Ennen's arm and hurried out of the hut.


	3. Chapter 3

The vessel was very large, and they had entered far from the control room. Still, this ship was relatively hospitable to their physiology, and now a new sense of hope surged through them. Only a small fraction of their population had managed to get on board, but at least there was a chance that some of them would make it to a new home now.

They would have to find the control room first, and the passageways were numerous, hundreds and hundreds of them twisting throughout the vessel. The leader paused to consider which way to go.

After some time, the leader could feel the electrical impulses that flowed throughout the ship from the control center. If the group could follow these impulses, they would eventually reach their initial destination. From there they could program the ship to take them somewhere safe, somewhere where they could flourish once again.

Slowly at first, then more quickly as they learned to navigate the passageways, the group began the arduous trek toward the control room, driven on by their anticipation of an end to their suffering and a new life for their brethren soon.

* * *

The Doctor met his companions half-way to the stream. They were sauntering along, Tegan a few yards ahead of Turlough, who seemed immersed in thought. Tegan spotted the Time Lord first.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked as she neared him. "I thought you were going to talk to the shaman."

As soon as he reached her, he took her arms lightly in his hands. "Are you all right?"

She blinked at him in surprise. "Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be? Oh, wait a minute, just because I had one bad experience on Deva Loka, you now just automatically assume that I'll get into trouble wherever I go? That's really not fair, Doctor—"

"That is not what I assumed," he cut in. "I was concerned because Cabar said he felt a dark spirit at the stream this morning. Whatever it was, if indeed it was anything, could still be there."

Tegan felt a sudden chill and rubbed her arms with her hands. "What did he mean, 'a dark spirit?'"

"I don't know. Did anything seem odd, or feel out of place to you?"

Tegan shook her head. "No. It was really beautiful, actually, and all I felt there was peace."

Turlough had caught up to them, so the Doctor asked him the same question. He shrugged. "I didn't see anything strange. We found where Cabar must have sat, but there wasn't anything unusual there."

"All right. Still, I'd like to see it for myself. Come on, let's have another look." The Time Lord began walking back in the direction from which his companions had come.

When the reached the stream, he began looking about, touching leaves and bending several times to examine the grass. For several seconds he stood quite still with closed eyes while Tegan sniffed at some flowers and Turlough leaned against a tree, appearing rather bored with the whole expedition.

Finally the Doctor said, "There's no sign of anything unusual here."

"Told you," said Tegan. "It's just a really pretty place."

The Doctor nodded, but something caught his eye. He walked a few paces to one of the large rocks near the indentation on the grass then touched a dark spot with his fingertip. He lifted the finger to study it. "This is blood."

"Turlough cut his hand," Tegan said.

"Yes," the young man confirmed rather chidingly, "because I was trying to stop you from drinking from the stream." He looked at the Doctor. "We don't know if the water's safe."

"It's always best to be cautious," the Time Lord agreed, "but in this case I don't think there's anything to worry about. The streams here provide all the water for the villagers and their animals. They're perfectly safe. Is your hand all right?"

"It was just a scratch; I'm fine," Turlough replied rather tartly.

"Good. Let's get back to the village," the Doctor said. "I want to continue my discussion with Cabar."

"Do you think," began Tegan as they started walking, "that there's really something here?"

"Honestly," the Time Lord replied, "I don't know. Something clearly upset Cabar, enough that he nearly put himself into a coma."

"Why would he do that?" she asked.

"He was obviously rather desperate to find out what he'd sensed at the stream."

"Was he trying to kill himself?" Turlough asked.

"No, I don't think so," answered the Doctor. "He prepares a tea for himself and for others that helps them dream vividly. He believes that in these dreams spirits communicate with the dreamer. This is a common practice among many cultures. They use mild hallucinogens to induce visions."

"You mean like peyote?" inquired Tegan. "I heard about it from friends when I was younger."

"The mescaline derived from peyote is a powerful and often dangerous hallucinogen," the Doctor replied. "The ingredients that Cabar uses appear somewhat milder and probably quite a bit safer. I'll have to ask him to show me exactly what he puts in it—"

"But he O.D.ed on it?" Tegan interjected.

"Very nearly. He seems like a reasonable, prudent fellow from what I've seen and heard, so I believe that something very real has upset him. We just have to figure out what it is."

"Any ideas?" Turlough asked.

"At the moment, no," responded the Doctor. "But I want you two to have a look around the village while I speak with Cabar. See if anyone else has felt or noticed anything strange."

"Aside from us?" Tegan asked with a half-smile.

Turlough snorted. "Speak for yourself."

The villagers proved to be warm hosts who were glad to talk with the visitors. Word of the guests' arrival spread quickly, and as soon as the small party returned to the village they were offered various gifts ranging from pottery to clay animal figurines to bracelets and necklaces delicately woven from plant fibers.

Tegan and Turlough strolled about, chatting with people and finding that, aside from the shaman, no one had experienced anything odd. They were concerned, however, by Cabar's behavior; all reported that he was a steady, stable man and a pillar of the community. A vague apprehension seemed to be growing based upon his feelings.

When Turlough and Tegan returned to the shaman's hut some time later, they found the Doctor and Cabar outside in the herb garden. The two men were conversing intently, studying the plants and discussing their uses. Cabar appeared fully recovered from his earlier physical state, though signs of anxiety were still apparent in his face.

"They've invited us for lunch," Tegan said, walking toward the Doctor.

"Yes? How kind," replied the Doctor rather absently, continuing to examine the leaf he held in his fingers.

"These are your friends?" Cabar asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, that's right, you haven't been properly introduced." He finally looked up. "Tegan, Turlough," he said with a quick nod in each one's direction, "this is Shaman Cabar. He's been telling me a great deal about his plants."

Cabar fixed his gaze on Turlough, studying the coppery hair that glinted in the sunlight and the fiercely blue eyes that met his gaze steadily. The Trion lad gave a curt nod and a tight smile as he extended his hand. Cabar took it in his and held it for several seconds.

The shaman's eyes moved to Tegan, and his appraisal of her was no less intense. Tegan began to squirm mentally, but she politely offered him her hand, too. "Pleased to meet you," she said.

He grasped her hand tightly and stared into her eyes until she looked away and took a step back. "I think I'll go and tell them that we'll join them for lunch," she said rather abruptly and turned away.

When she was well away, Cabar said softly, "She has seen the darkness."

"What do you mean?" asked the Doctor.

"Something very dark has touched her, has left a mark on her."

"The Mara?" asked Turlough, but the Doctor shot him a cautioning look.

"I don't know its name, but I can sense that she struggled with it, that its darkness threatened to overtake her."

"Tegan has seen many frightening things," the Doctor said.

Cabar nodded. "Yes. You should try to surround her with goodness, help her to see the sunlight again."

The Doctor considered these words for several seconds before responding in a rather regretful tone, "Thank you. I'll try to keep that in mind."

Turlough's stomach rumbled loudly, and he pressed his hand over it. "Sorry," he muttered.

"Off to lunch then," the Doctor said.

Turlough took a few steps then paused to ask, "Aren't you joining us?"

"Oh, I'll be along soon. I want to hear the rest of the information about this plant." He held up the leaves still gripped in his hand then turned back to Cabar. "Now, tell me more about what you saw in Tegan."

* * *

Negotiating the route to the control room proved more difficult than they had thought. The vessel was throbbing with energy, and the pressure in the passageways was great. They felt as though the ship were trying to prevent them from moving easily through it. Still, they struggled ahead, but it was slow going.

They hoped that the ship's energy would diminish soon, or at least that the pressure would change. They passed several structures that could be altered to shut off the pressure, but they knew intuitively that this would affect the ship's functioning, and their journey would end before it had even begun. So they kept moving along, slowly but with great determination.

Their leader tried to reassure them, to tell them that they would find a new home soon. This encouragement helped, and none gave in to the urge to stop, to rest, or to die.

* * *

The Doctor failed to make an appearance at lunch, but the meal was sumptuous, with luscious fruits and a light wine, roast fowl, and a wonderfully sweet pudding that nearly sent Tegan into a fit of ecstasy.

"Delicious," she proclaimed after polishing off her third bowl.

She and Turlough sat with the elders and their families, who beamed at her praise. When she had assured them that she could eat no more, and their offerings to Turlough were met with similar responses, they took the guests to a pleasant ramada with low, woven chairs and chaises.

"We rest during the warmest part of the day," Yare's wife told them. "Please make yourselves comfortable."

Tegan and Turlough thanked her then each settled in a chair. The wine had affected both of them somewhat, and both felt sleepy and very full.

"Do you think we should find the Doctor and see if he needs us for anything?" asked Turlough with a yawn

Tegan felt extremely comfortable in her chaise. "I think that would be rude," she said.

"Rude?"

With a grin, she added, "When in Rome…" and closed her eyes.

Turlough smiled and did the same.

* * *

"Turlough!"

His name sounded slightly foreign to him in his half-awake state. His thoughts felt fuzzy, and at first he did not recognize the voice. Was he back at school? Was one of those blasted teachers calling on him again?

"Come on, Turlough, time to get up."

He felt someone shaking his shoulder gently and forced his eyes to open. He blinked in the bright light, momentarily blinded until the Doctor moved so that his head blocked out the sun's glare.

He rubbed at his eyes then sat up. A small twinge of pain flickered in his temple, and he recalled that he had drunk several glasses of wine with his lunch. He should have known better…

The Doctor was taking his arm and pulling him up. "Rise and shine!" he said cheerfully.

Turlough stood, his head feeling unpleasantly heavy. He saw that Tegan sat in a nearby chair drinking from a cup. She glanced up at him then pointed at a clay pitcher and empty cup on a small table.

"Have some. It helps," she said.

Turlough poured out some juice and took a few sips. It was cool and did seem to soften the ache in his head a bit.

"I think you should both skip the wine at your next meal," the Doctor advised.

"Now you tell us," grumbled Tegan.

The Doctor ignored her comment and clapped his hands together lightly. "Come on, you two! I have an errand for you."

Tegan rolled her eyes. "What is it?"

"I want you to go to the TARDIS and get a book for me, _Tparletalian's Comprehensive Guide to Plants of the Lesser Galaxies_. It should be in the library—or the atrium—I can't quite recall where I saw it last."

"And why can't you go?" she asked, draining her cup.

"I want to remain with Cabar. He plans to return to the stream, and I'd like to see what his impressions are. He may be able to sense something that we couldn't. And he seems to like the idea of my company."

"Safety in numbers?" she asked.

"Perhaps. Now get going." He shooed them away.

Tegan and Turlough were both quiet as they walked back to the TARDIS. Neither felt at his or her best. Turlough's head still ached and felt distinctively foggy, and Tegan still felt full and sleepy. They trudged along with little conversation until they reached the police box standing incongruously in the jungle.

They entered and walked through the console room, parting ways when they reached the hall. Tegan planned to check the atrium and Turlough the library for the book.

After a few minutes, the door to the secondary console room opened. Soft footsteps padded toward the control panels in the center of the small chamber, then hesitant fingers tapped at the keys. Soon their speed increased, and the central column rose half-way with a brief glow of light then lowered. A palm hit the console and a brief muttered curse echoed from the walls. The central column poked up again, this time glowing orange and rising to its full height.

Tegan and Turlough each emerged from doorways near the main console room, nearly bumping into each other in the hallway.

"I found it," she said, holding up the text.

Turlough nodded and they entered the console room. They felt the TARDIS shudder, and Tegan's stomach lurched. The pudding, still heavy in her belly, seemed to slosh about, and in an instant she knew that she was going to be sick. She clapped a hand over her mouth and ran for the door. Turlough quickly flipped the switch to open it.

"Tegan?" Turlough asked in some confusion. The time ship shook again, and the wheezing began. Turlough looked back at the console then at the open door. He saw Tegan fall to her knees in the grass and ran out to help her.

As he bent to take her elbow, the TARDIS dematerialised. Tegan vomited and sank to the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

Turlough whirled around to stare at the empty space where the TARDIS stood seconds ago. Behind him he heard Tegan retch again, and after a minute he turned back to her. She was wiping her mouth with a handkerchief, sitting back on the grass with wide eyes that moved over the vista.

"Where did it go?" she asked.

Turlough shook his head. "I don't know."

"What happened?" She shifted up to her knees then stood on shaky legs.

With a shrug, he walked back a few paces to take her arm, but she waved his hand aside and half-stumbled toward a small stream. She splashed some cool water over her face and drank a few swallows from her hand.

"We'd better get back to the village and tell the Doctor about this," Turlough said.

Tegan returned to him, and as they began to walk, she asked, "Did you do something?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Turlough frowned. "I wasn't even in the console room! You saw me in the hall." Now he turned wary eyes upon her. "Where were you before that?"

"I was looking for the book, in the atrium, just as I said I'd be!"

Ill-will growing quickly, they walked on in stony silence, each glancing at the other with overt mistrust. Tegan's memories of the Black Guardian and his effect on Turlough were still fresh. For his part, Turlough recalled the brief bits he had heard about the Mara, knowing that Tegan's mind had been invaded by the creature. She could still be susceptible to other such influences…

As soon as they reached the village, Tegan hurried to Cabar's hut, Turlough close behind her. The Doctor and the shaman had just returned from the stream. Cabar appeared shaken and pale; something had clearly upset him. He sat upon a mat on the floor, the Doctor near his side.

Tegan entered the hut first, words tumbling from her mouth. "Doctor, something happened—the TARDIS disappeared, just like that, and—"

"What?" The Doctor stood and walked deliberately toward the Australian. "Disappeared? What do you mean?"

Turlough stepped inside. "It dematerialised."

The Doctor scowled. "What did you two do?"

Immediately Tegan cried, "Nothing! I wasn't anywhere near the console—"

"And you?" The Doctor's gaze speared Turlough.

"I was trying to help her," he said, gesturing toward Tegan. "She ran out—she was sick—"

"So neither one of you touched anything, hit any buttons?"

Both companions shook their heads as his eyes studied each of them in turn. His scrutiny revealed that Tegan's color was a bit off; she appeared slightly dazed, perhaps ill. Turlough's expression was indignant, his mouth set in a hard line.

The Doctor took Tegan's arm and touched Turlough's elbow. "Come you two," he said, already prodding them along.

"Where are we going?" asked Tegan.

"Back to the scene of the crime."

"Crime?" she repeated. "I haven't done anything—"

With a sigh, the Doctor said, "It's just an expression, Tegan—at least I hope that's all it is."

* * *

They felt pleased with their initial success. They had been able to operate the craft and move the vessel. They were not sure where it was or how long it would take them to reach their destination, but they knew now that they could impose their will upon the ship.

Their control was incomplete, of course. It would take time to understand precisely how the intricate machine functioned. But this was a start. With a new resolve they spread out, exploring the control area more thoroughly in preparation for the next step.

* * *

As they walked back to where the TARDIS had been, the Doctor asked for details about its disappearance. However, he found both companions' responses lacking, to say the least. All he could ascertain was that both had entered the ship and gone their separate ways then had met up near the console room just before the TARDIS dematerialized. If it had not been for Tegan's sudden bout of nausea, both she and Turlough would have been in the ship at the critical moment.

He did find out that the controls in the console room did not appear to have been activated; the central column had not moved. He could only conclude that the program was set in the secondary console room. This was curious, since he rarely used that area. He could not recall whether he had shown it to Tegan or Turlough, but it was certainly plausible that either one of them might have stumbled upon it during their wanderings through the vast corridors.

He considered the possibility that neither one of them had activated the controls, but he quickly thought of a number of reasons to refute this. The ship had been locked when they arrived, and there did not seem to be anyone in the area capable of operating a TARDIS, even if someone had somehow managed to sneak in. Tegan and Turlough both recalled closing the door after entering, too, so anyone else's gaining access was extremely unlikely.

He was left to only one conclusion: either Tegan or Turlough had sent the TARDIS away. Whether the act was intentional, and whether or not the culprit meant to strand the entire party here, was still in question.

He stood with them for a minute near the spot where his ship had been. There was still an indentation in the soft earth to show that the TARDIS had rested there. He closed his eyes for a moment to try to sense if the ship was nearby, but he felt no connection, not even a vague perception of her presence. He sighed and opened his eyes.

"Where did it go?" Tegan was asking.

"How should I know!" Turlough replied somewhat defensively.

"That's enough," the Doctor said evenly. "Let's get back to the village."

"But we have to find the TARDIS!" Tegan protested. "We can't just leave—"

"No," the Time Lord said, "we certainly can't, at least not until we find her. So we'll return to the village for the night and in the morning we will search the area in the hope of finding her."

"And if we can't?" Tegan's voice held a hint of desperation.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." The Doctor turned away from the crushed grass to look back at the village, then began to walk.

"Watch your step," Turlough advised, pointing at the ground with a small grimace.

The Doctor glanced down then back up at Tegan. At least he knew that she had not lied about getting sick; the evidence was at his feet. He stepped around it and toward her. "Are you feeling better?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm fine now. It was just that pudding. Cripes, it was rich."

He watched her face carefully. "Are you certain that's all it was?"

She gave him a curious look. "Yeah, of course. What are you getting at, Doctor?"

With a small shrug and a forced smile, he replied, "Oh, I just wanted to be sure that you're all right, that you aren't still feeling ill. It was just temporary, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Doctor." With a shake of her head, she added, "Funny, you weren't this concerned about my stomach when we were on Striker's ship, and I really was sick then."

"But we knew the reason for it," he replied.

"Three helpings of pudding isn't reason enough?" She gave a small snort of exasperation and turned her head away from his probing gaze. Wanting to change the subject, she said, "Cabar looked upset just now. What happened at the stream?"

Finally moving his eyes away from her, the Doctor responded, "Actually, it was more a case of what didn't happen. The presence he had felt there—what had always drawn him to that particular stream—seemed to elude him. He believes that the spirits who dwelt in the water have departed."

"Why should that upset him?" asked Turlough.

"This culture believes in spirits as protectors, and as potential threats when they aren't respected or placated sufficiently. Cabar told me that the stream has always been considered a holy place, one where the spirits dwelt. Since he can no longer sense them, he's afraid that they've gone elsewhere."

"So they can't protect his people any longer," Tegan concluded.

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, that is one possibility."

"And what's the other?" inquired Turlough.

"That wherever they have gone, it was with the intent of punishing his people. He's meditating now to try to determine what could have happened in the village to upset them."

"So if they're out for vengeance," Tegan's mouth twitched in a small smile at the silliness of the thought, "that means what? That they're going to start wreaking havoc in the village, sort of like poltergeists or something?"

"Cabar hasn't said that in so many words," the Doctor acknowledged, "but I do believe that he's afraid of something like that."

"Maybe it was spirits who took the TARDIS," Tegan said with a grin.

Turlough chuckled, too, but the Doctor stopped walking and turned to face her sternly. "This is not a subject that should be ridiculed, particularly when you're in the village. These people take their beliefs very seriously, and such blatant disrespect will only engender resentment and mistrust."

"Sorry," Tegan muttered. "I wasn't trying to make fun of them. It's just hard to believe in ghosts."

"They aren't ghosts," the Doctor corrected. "They are ancestral and natural spirits."

"You sound like you believe in them," Turlough said.

"In a way, I do."

This comment surprised both Turlough and Tegan. The Doctor offered a brief explanation: "I recognize the spirits' importance to these people. Their beliefs are extremely strong and are an integral part of their culture. They guide each person in his or her daily life."

"But they aren't real to you," Tegan said.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Cabar sensed something at the stream, something very real to him. I find it more than coincidence that his feeling that something had changed coincided precisely with the disappearance of the TARDIS."

"So you think that there was something or someone at the stream, and they took the TARDIS?" Turlough asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," the Time Lord replied. "But we can't deny that something unusual is going on here."

He seemed to retreat into his own thoughts then, so his companions walked on in silence until they reached the village.

* * *

Ennen graciously offered the visitors lodgings for the night. He arranged for Tegan to stay with his daughter, Mita, and her husband, and for the Doctor and Turlough to use an extension of his own home where his children had once slept. Ennen's wife and Mita prepared a generous dinner for their guests. Several of the other elders, including Cabar, joined them.

The shaman seemed calmer than he had earlier, although his demeanor remained contemplative. He sat across the table from the Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough, elders on either side of him. Ennen's wife and daughter brought out the food then were seated and quickly bowed their heads. The other diners joined in the gesture, and Cabar extended his hands, fingers spread. The Doctor watched with interest as the nearby elders placed their hands upon the table so that the fingers of each touched his neighbors'.

"Please," Cabar said with a small glance up at the Doctor, "join us."

The Doctor rested his palms upon the table, and Tegan and Turlough followed his lead. Cabar shifted his hands slightly so that a finger touched each guest's hand while still keeping contact with the other elders.

The shaman made a noise, low in his throat, then began a gentle, rhythmic humming. In a few moments the others joined in. A harmonious buzz filled the room for nearly a minute, then the noise ceased and the participants began pulling their hands away. Cabar's hands, however, remained upon the table, his head still bowed until Ennen touched his arm.

"Cabar?" he asked softly.

The shaman raised his head abruptly, eyes darting from Turlough to Tegan. He took a sharp breath and stood. "Excuse me," he said, then walked away from the table and out of the room.

"Is something the matter?" asked the Doctor with concern.

Ennen watched the shaman's departure then looked back at his guests. "I'm not sure. He usually dines with us."

The Doctor began to rise, but Yare said, "Please stay and eat with us. It's important that we share the food together after Cabar has blessed it."

The Time Lord settled back in his chair as the food was passed around. He complimented the various dishes, which elicited a sincere smile from Ennen's wife. Turlough seemed to enjoy the meal, too, and offered a few polite words of praise.

"Aren't the vegetables delicious, Tegan?" the Doctor asked, attempting to prompt a similar accolade from her.

"Oh," she replied, sounding as though she'd been caught off guard, "yes, very good."

The Doctor glanced down at her plate. She had barely touched any of her food.

"Is your stomach still bothering you?" he asked in a low voice.

She shrugged. "A little, I suppose."

He leaned in to her. "Try to eat something, at least a few bites. It's important for propriety's sake."

She nodded. "All right."

He noticed that, despite a great deal of cutting and moving morsels about, no food actually made it into her mouth.

After supper Tegan retired to her quarters, saying that she was tired. The Doctor walked her to Mita's home, pausing just outside the doorway when she pressed a hand over her stomach.

"Still nauseous?" he asked.

"No, just a little twinge."

"Pain?"

She nodded. "Probably just gas. Sorry, that's not very dignified, is it?"

He took her arm and led her inside. She had been given a small room off the main living area. It was furnished simply with a bed, a little table, and a clay lantern in which some sort of oil burned steadily, casting a soft glow throughout the room. The Doctor guided Tegan toward the bed, where she sat, hand still resting on her belly. He thought that she looked pale, even in the low light.

He lay a hand on her cheek. "You don't seem to have a fever," he commented.

"I never said I did," she responded.

He moved his hand to her chin to tilt her head upward, resting his thumb against the pulse point on her neck for a moment. He frowned.

"Are you feeling anxious about something, Tegan?"

His response surprised her. "Anxious? Gee, I don't know, Doctor. We're stranded here without the TARDIS. We don't know where it's gone off to or who took it. Yeah, I suppose you could say that I'm a little anxious about that."

"Which is quite understandable. But is there anything else you want to tell me?" He seemed to study her eyes for several seconds, rather too intensely for her liking.

She turned her head slightly and looked away. "No."

"All right, Tegan." He dropped his hand with a sigh. "I think a good night's sleep is what you need."

"I won't argue with that."

"If you feel any worse, send for me. I'll be awake—probably in Cabar's hut, or in Ennen's." He began to walk out.

"Doctor?"

He paused. "Yes Tegan?"

"What if we can't find the TARDIS? What are we going to do?"

"Let's not worry about what if's. Just get some rest and we'll deal with it in the morning."


	5. Chapter 5

The vessel had become easier to control. They had been able to reach out into the critical areas and take command of the central processor, gradually programming their wishes into it. The ship was still able to function, and soon they would redirect it to the precise course they desired.

At the moment, the vessel was fairly still, its only movements those required to keep its components functioning at a basic level. This was the ideal time to begin their concerted efforts to take greater control of it. They gathered together to share their desires and see that their will was done.

* * *

Turlough had taken a stroll through the village after the meal, but a niggling headache still persisted. He chided himself for enjoying another cup of wine with dinner. It had brought the dull ache back. The night birds chirruped, which seemed to intensify his discomfort. He headed back to Ennen's house.

His hosts greeted him amicably and asked if there was anything he needed. He accepted a cup of juice then retired to the room he'd been given. He removed his jacket, shoes, and socks and lay down on the bed. The night was warm, so he did not need a blanket. He closed his eyes and slept immediately.

Several hours later he sat up in the darkness. The village was quiet; even the nocturnal animals had stilled. The other cot, set up for the Doctor, was empty. Turlough rubbed at his eyes then stood, eyes darting around in the dim light. Finally he reached for the empty cup near the bed and held it to his lips. With a disappointed sigh he padded out of the room, still gripping the cup in his hand.

* * *

After seeing Tegan off to bed, the Doctor had gone back to Cabar's hut to find the shaman meditating again. At first he worried that the shaman had ingested another significant quantity of the dreaming tea, but as he observed the man he noted that his breathing was steadier and stronger and his color was better than it had been while he had been under the influence of the drug. This time Cabar appeared to be immersed deeply in his own thoughts without any outside assistance, other than a bit of incense that perfumed the room subtly.

He did not seem to notice his guest's arrival. Indeed, when the Doctor settled down across the room on a softly woven mat, the shaman did not stir. He continued his very soft humming undisturbed.

The Time Lord permitted himself to relax. He needed some time away from Tegan and Turlough to consider what had really happened to his TARDIS. The atmosphere in the shaman's hut was tranquil, and soon the Doctor found himself in a light trance, thoughts ebbing and flowing gently as he opened his mind to sensations normally beyond his conscious perception.

The two men remained seated, eyes closed and bodies relaxed, for several hours. Finally, the Doctor opened his eyes to find Cabar watching him.

"I'm sorry," the Time Lord said quickly. "I didn't intend to intrude."

"You were dreaming?"

"No, not exactly—more like meditating, thinking deeply."

Cabar nodded. "You're welcome here whenever you like. This is a place for thoughts and dreams, for visions and messages from the spirits."

"Thank you. Did I disturb you?"

"No. I could feel you here while I was dreaming, but it was something of a comfort. Your state encouraged me to remain in mine."

"I'm glad that I wasn't a hindrance."

"No, Doctor, you weren't. And I'm glad you're here. I was planning to come and find you tonight anyway."

The Doctor's eyes widened with interest. "You were? Ah, of course. Something happened during the meal, didn't it?"

Cabar nodded. He seemed hesitant to continue but was clearly anxious to share some piece of information.

"Did it involve Tegan?" the Doctor asked carefully.

Cabar stood and extinguished the incense between his finger and thumb. "Yes, Doctor," he replied slowly, "it did. There is something that you need to know."

* * *

Tegan had fallen asleep quickly and slept soundly for several hours. It was her stomach that woke her well before dawn. Her belly was rumbling uncomfortably, and she remembered that she had not eaten since lunch. Well, at least she could tell the Doctor that her nausea had gone away. Then he could stop fussing over her. Truth be told, however, she had been rather touched by his concern.

She debated waiting until morning to get up, but she really was famished. Quietly she got out of bed, grateful that the oil lamp was still emitting a faint glow and a sweet aroma. She crept out into the living area. The house's inhabitants, of course, were still asleep, and she was not sure where they kept their food. It seemed that most meals were shared by the entire extended family, and she had a feeling that many of the ingredients were at Ennen's home. She did recall seeing baskets of fruit sitting out on the tables that were scattered throughout the village. She felt certain that no one would mind if she helped herself.

Tegan exited the house and looked around the still community, pausing for a few seconds so that her eyes could adjust to the darkness. There were fire pits, surrounded by attractive stone borders, every fifteen meters or so, and the embers still glowed, providing a bit of light. She spied a small table with a basket upon it not far away and walked toward it. She reached inside, her hand brushing the tender skin of the sweet fruit. A strong, cloying aroma rose up, and for a moment she felt overwhelmed by it. She closed her eyes and took a step back. She felt odd suddenly, a hint of the nausea returning.

The smoke from the dying fire seemed choking, and she stumbled toward the jungle, hoping for some fresh air. But as she passed through the leaves and flowers of the dense foliage, the smoke seemed to grow heavier, and her head began to spin. She was disoriented, confused.

Tegan stood blinking for a minute before she saw the flames. They were only a few meters away. She gasped and turned around, suddenly realizing how close the village was. The fire was spreading quickly; she had to get help.

She sprinted away, swerving toward the nearest hut she recognized. She burst through the doorway, yelling, "Fire!"

Cabar and the Doctor were sitting on the floor. They both looked up at her with surprise.

"There's a fire!" she panted, swinging her arm back to indicate where the threat was. "It's close to the village."

Both men stood quickly, and the Doctor hurried toward the door, brushing past her to rush outside. Cabar was close at his heels, calling out for assistance even as he reached for a bucket of water. The Doctor was already nearing the flames, a bucket in his hands, too.

And from somewhere nearby Turlough appeared. Tegan stared at him for an instant, feeling even more disoriented. Wasn't Ennen's home in the other direction? Her head was swimming, and she leaned against the hut to get her bearings.

Within a few minutes the entire village was awake. The next hour was a blur to Tegan. People dashed about, frantic yet purposeful as they tried to extinguish the fire. She wanted to help, but Ennen's wife and Mita held her back. She was still coughing and lightheaded from her exposure to the smoke, and finally the other women took her to Ennen's home to sit with her as they waited anxiously for word that the fire was out. She began to shiver in the pre-dawn chill, and her new friends gave her a warm blanket to wrap around her shoulders. She hugged the blanket around herself and waited.

* * *

Turlough had found the Doctor quickly and stood next to him as he passed the buckets up toward the men nearest the fire. A sort of brigade had been organized by the Time Lord, with a line of men stretching from the stream to the blaze. Nearly every large container in the village had been enlisted in the group's efforts to douse the flames.

When it was clear that the fire could be contained, Turlough asked the Doctor, "Does anyone know how it started?"

The Time Lord shook his head. "No. There was no lightning, no wind to spread embers from the village fires."

"Who was the first one to see it?"

The Doctor passed a full pot to the next man in the line then turned back to Turlough for a moment. "Tegan."

"She was up?" he asked, voice rising slightly.

"She must have been. And she was coughing when she came to tell us, which means that she was out in the jungle, close to the flames."

"What was she doing out there?"

The Doctor shook his head and accepted the bucket passed to Turlough then to him. "I don't know, Turlough, but I'm going to find out."

* * *

Just after dawn Ennen returned. He was tired and smudged with soot, but he reported that the fire had been stopped. His wife embraced him in a relieved hug.

"Was anyone hurt?" Tegan asked.

"No," the elder replied. "I don't think so. The smoke made it hard to breathe, but everyone is resting now and drinking water. They should be all right."

"Where are the Doctor and Turlough?" she asked.

"Right here." The objects of her inquiry stepped through the door. They were not as dirty as Ennen, but flakes of ash clung in their hair, and their faces were sooty.

Tegan dropped her blanket and went to a water basin immediately. She dipped two cloths and took them to the Time Lord and the Trion lad. "Here," she said, holding out the cloths.

Turlough took his with a nod and began wiping his face. The Doctor reached for the other cloth but stopped, his eyes moving to Tegan's hand. "How did you get that?" he asked.

Confused, she lifted the cloth. "It was near the basin," she began. "I'm sure they won't mind if you borrow it—"

"No, Tegan," he said, voice husky, "this." He took her hand in his and pointed at a red, blistered area stretching from the base of her thumb to her wrist.

Tegan stared at the burn. "I must have been closer to the fire than I thought."

"You don't remember getting this? It must have hurt."

She shook her head. "I don't know. There was so much smoke, and I was sort of dizzy. And I knew I had to tell everyone—"

"Tell them what?" Turlough's blue eyes seemed to pierce her.

"That there was a fire," she replied. "What did you think?"

With a nod of acknowledgement toward Ennen and his family, the Doctor pressed his hand to Tegan's back. "Excuse us, please," he said politely. "I'm going to take Tegan back to her quarters."

He steered her toward the door, Turlough right behind them.

"Doctor, I feel like I've missed something," she said.

"Perhaps you have."

She gave him a questioning look, but he did not say anything else until they had reached Mita's house. He took her inside and gestured for her to sit on one of the chairs in the living area. Turlough lingered in the doorway until the Doctor asked him to bring a bowl of water.

The Doctor pulled up a second chair and sat down to face her. He leaned forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, his eyes fixed upon hers.

"What were you doing out in the jungle in the middle of the night?" he asked.

"It was my stomach," she responded. "I woke up and I was hungry; I went outside for some fruit. The smoke from the fire pits was bothering me, so I walked out toward the jungle for some air. That's when I noticed the fire."

He kept his eyes locked on hers. "And when did you burn yourself?"

She tried to look away, but he moved one hand up to hold her chin so that she had to face him.

"Tegan, please look at me," he instructed. "Now tell me when you received this burn."

She swallowed. Her throat felt terribly dry. "I don't know."

"You can't remember?"

She closed her eyes. "No."

Turlough returned with the bowl of water, and the Doctor took her hand to pat the burn gently with his saturated handkerchief. Now the injury had begun to sting, and she winced.

"It hurts?" he asked.

She nodded.

"But you weren't aware of it before, until I pointed it out to you?"

She shook her head. "I suppose I was worrying about other things."

He held a dry cloth over the burn. "I'll see if I can find some aloe or something similar to ease the pain. You should rest now, Tegan." He stood and took her elbow to help her rise.

When she had gone to her room, he motioned for Turlough to follow him outside.

"What's going on, Doctor?" he asked.

"Don't you see?"

"I'm not sure… you think Tegan's lying about the fire, about how close she was to it? But why would she do that?"

"Because, Turlough," the Time Lord replied gravely, "I believe she was involved in setting it."


	6. Chapter 6

"But why would she do something like that?" Turlough asked, eyes open wide with incredulity. "What could she possibly gain by starting a fire?"

"She may not have been acting of her own volition," the Doctor said.

"Someone forced her to do it?"

"I'm not sure. But I want you to think back to this afternoon. When you went to look for the book, where did Tegan go? Did you see her walk away from the console room, or could she have remained there?"

"You're thinking that she moved the TARDIS. Does she know how to do that?"

"She's done it before."

Turlough shook his head. "I suppose she could have gone back to the console room after I went down the hall. I didn't look back. When I returned, she was just outside the doorway—"

"So she could have been in there."

The former schoolboy shrugged. "I really can't say."

They were walking toward the shaman's home now. Most of the villagers had returned to their houses to bathe and rest after the night's exertions, so they saw few people about. Still, Turlough's eyes darted from building to building, watching to be certain that their conversation would not be overheard.

In a low voice, he said, "Tell me why you think it was her."

"I'm afraid that the evidence is not in her favor. I believe that she got sick because of the anxiety she felt over sending the TARDIS away."

"But she told me it was the pudding—"

The Doctor sighed. "It's possible that she believes that consciously, but at a subconscious level she feels very anxious about what she did. There were signs of it after dinner last night."

"And you think that she got the burn setting the fire," Turlough concluded.

"Yes. She can't remember it happening because she's blocking it from her mind."

"But I still don't understand why she'd do those things, why she'd put us in danger like that."

They were near the shaman's hut, and the Doctor paused outside the doorway. "Cabar and I are working on an explanation for that. One reason that he is such a skilled shaman is that he's an empath; he can sense the feelings of other people at a deeper level than most humans can."

"So he's psychic?"

"No, not really. He cannot read others' thoughts per se; rather he picks up on their general emotions. When he first met Tegan, he could sense that she had experienced something very disturbing, something very dark… You've heard Tegan mention the Mara, haven't you? She doesn't like to discuss it, but I think you've gathered that her mind was taken over by the creature. With a bit of assistance, I was able to destroy it and free her, but the experience left an impression on her."

"And Cabar knew this?"

The Time Lord gave a nod of acknowledgement. "He felt it immediately. But he felt something else, too." The Doctor's eyes locked on Turlough for an instant.

The young man took a sharp breath. "What was that?"

"When he gave the blessing and touched our hands, he sensed an outside presence, the same type of presence he had always felt by the stream. It was very strong, so much so that he felt it physically. That's why he left the meal so suddenly."

"And he thinks that the presence was coming from Tegan?" Turlough was suddenly aware of the soot that remained on his hands. He rubbed his palms over his trousers.

"Yes."

"I'm still not sure what you're getting at. You don't believe in spirits, so I'm guessing that you wouldn't buy the idea of some sort of possession—"

"Not in the traditional sense, no. But Tegan was taken over by the Mara. Her mind is susceptible to strong psychic influences. Cabar believes that a spirit from the stream is clinging to her; he is convinced that its presence is what he felt when he touched her hand."

"And what do you think?"

"I think that there is something here, some energy or entity that dwelt at the stream and has now shifted its focus to Tegan. It wants to strand us here and destroy this village."

"But why? What's the point of that?"

"If I could answer that, Turlough, we would be well on our way to solving this entire problem."

"Is it alien? The entity, I mean?"

"My guess is that it is, but I'm not sure yet."

"So what are we going to do?"

The Doctor bent down to break a stalk from a bluish succulent. He held out the piece to Turlough. "You're going to take this to Tegan; tell her to rub it on the burn. Then I want you to remain near her hut to be sure that she doesn't leave, or to follow her if she does."

"And what are you going to do?"

"I need to discuss this further with Cabar."

Turlough walked back to Mita's home, stopping just outside the doorway to snap the stalk in half. He tucked the smaller piece into his pants pocket then went inside to give the other half to Tegan. She was lying on the bed and seemed to be sleeping, so he left the aloe leaf on the small table and went outside to sit near the entrance.

With a quick glance around, he pulled the stalk from his pocket then lifted his bare foot. He bit his lip to keep from crying out as he rubbed the aloe over the burns on his sole. What an idiot he'd been to wander outside without his shoes on.

* * *

They had found it interesting to observe how the vessel functioned. They were learning how to control it more consistently and finding that it seemed more compliant to their commands.

They still did not completely understand some of the impulses that sparked and flowed within the control center. The unit used a different sort of communication which they had not yet fully mastered. Still, they could enter in their commands and could sense that the ship was carrying them out in some way.

It was important, however, that the ship continue to function normally. They realized quickly that they could not overtake it completely; they needed its impulses to remain active on some level.

They had seen that their first set of orders were carried out. The vessel relayed images back to them that confirmed that it had taken the course they set for it. If they could continue in the same way, eventually they might find a place that could sustain them. But much more work was required.

* * *

Turlough had been sitting outside the house for half an hour or so when the Doctor returned. The villagers had begun going about their usual routines, preparing breakfast and completing morning chores, though a small group was working to clear out some of the debris from the fire.

"She hasn't tried to leave?" the Time Lord asked, glancing inside the house.

"No. She was sleeping when I took the aloe in to her."

The Doctor nodded. "We need to search for the TARDIS, but I don't want to leave Tegan alone."

"Mita can watch her."

"Yes, that's what I was thinking. Is she inside?"

"She hasn't come back yet." Turlough stood, trying not to wince as he planted his feet on the ground. "I need to get my shoes. I'll send her back if I see her."

The Doctor went inside and was surprised to find Tegan just emerging from her small room. She was studying the burn on her hand.

"Did the aloe help?" asked the Doctor, walking toward her.

She looked up at him. "I think so." Her eyes moved to the doorway. "It's light now. When are we going to look for the TARDIS?"

"Turlough and I are just about to leave."

She frowned. "Were you going to go without me?"

"I thought you were sleeping—"

"Well, I'm up now. And three can cover more ground than two. Let's get going." She took a few steps, but he reached for her arm.

"Tegan, wait."

She stopped and turned back to face him. "What?"

"You don't need to come with us. You can stay here and rest if you'd like."

"No, I'd rather go with you."

"But surely you must be tired—"

"No more so than Turlough, and I'm sure you didn't encourage him to stay inside napping." Her tone was becoming accusatory.

"It's really better if you remain here," he said evenly.

"Look, Doctor, the sooner we find the TARDIS the sooner we can leave. And we're going to find it faster if we all search."

"And why are you so eager to leave here?"

"Because there's something going on, something that's making you look at me the way you are now, like you don't trust me—"

"I'm just concerned about you."

"Because I can't remember a few seconds out of a terrifying night?" She held up her injured hand. "That's what you're worried about?"

"I just think that you should rest."

"Funny, you've never thought that before," she retorted rather icily. "After we left Deva Loka you barely gave me a second thought—you never asked how I was doing until you thought that I was a threat to you. And even after Manussa, after you saw what the Mara had done to me, you just shrugged it off, didn't even offer me a bloody cup of tea."

The Doctor's expression darkened for a moment. "Tegan, that is not true. I observed you carefully and asked Nyssa for her impressions—"

"Well, it would've been nice if you'd asked me directly."

He took a step forward and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Point taken, Tegan, and I'm asking you now. Are you all right?"

She exhaled sharply. "Now's not when I need it."

Turlough entered then, saying, "She'll be here in a few minutes. Oh," he looked at Tegan, "you're up."

"And you're here now, so that means we can get going." She turned away from the Doctor.

"You're coming with us?" asked Turlough.

"Yes, she is," replied the Doctor, but the look he gave the young man conveyed much more than his simple words could.

As they were leaving the village, they passed the elders walking in a closely huddled group. Yare pulled away from the others to greet them.

"Are you going to search for your lost item?" he asked.

The Doctor nodded. "Yes. I'm hoping that we'll find it if we go to higher ground. Cabar told me that the terrain becomes more mountainous in that direction." He gestured with his hand.

"It does. You'll be able to see a great distance."

"That's what we need," the Time Lord agreed.

"We wish you success. Excuse me." Yare rejoined the elders, who had glanced back at him several times.

"They're a tight group, aren't they?" Turlough commented.

"Yes, particularly right now," the Doctor replied. "I wonder where they're off to?"

He stood for a few seconds to watch them as they made their way to Cabar's hut.

"Must be some kind of planning meeting," Tegan said between bites of the piece of fruit she had gratefully accepted from a small, giggling boy. "Maybe they're forming a fire prevention committee."

She did not see the glances exchanged by Turlough and the Doctor.

They walked along for some time as the jungle became even denser. They were ascending, however, and could see that the foliage thinned out at the top of the rise they were climbing. Their conversation had remained light, with comments about some of the plants and birds they encountered making up the bulk of their discussions.

Tegan was quieter than usual, and she trudged along without complaint. Indeed, she plowed through low bushes and vines quite successfully considering the relatively tight skirt and heels that she wore. Her footing was surer than Turlough's; the young man stepped carefully, nearly stumbling on several occasions.

When they reached the top of the hill, they looked out over the land. They were about a thousand meters higher than the village, which they could see below, stretching out in neat rows. In the distance sunlight glittered on a smooth lake from which a cinder cone rose.

"Doctor," said Tegan, gazing at the volcano, "is there any chance that it's still active?"

The Time Lord shook his head. "No. There hasn't been any volcanic activity here in many years."

The Australian sighed. "I was thinking maybe that's what started the fire."

Neither Turlough nor the Doctor responded to this comment. Instead, they continued scanning the area. In addition to the village and the lake, they could easily discern several streams, including the one they had visited. After a few moments Tegan said that she was thirsty and walked off to a small brook near by while Turlough and the Doctor continued their visual perusal.

The site of the fire, they found, was also visible. A dark smudge seemed to mar the verdant beauty of the area.

"It's fortunate that we were able to contain it," the Doctor said in a low voice. "It could easily have burned several hundred acres. You see there," he pointed for the benefit of his companion, "it looks as though it began in two distinct places, to the east and west. I don't think that could have been a natural occurrence."

"What about sparks from the fire pits?"

"Very unlikely. The chances of two igniting at the same time are slim, at best."

Tegan returned, wiping her hand across her mouth. "It's cool and sweet," she reported, then with a look at Turlough added, "and as safe as can be."

He shrugged. "Fine. That's the last time I try to look out for you."

The Doctor had kept scanning, turning to look out over the entire vista. "There's no sign of the TARDIS," he said, disappointment creeping into his voice. "We may as well go back to the village."

"But how are we going to find it?" Tegan asked.

His eyes met hers for an instant. "I think I have an idea." He looked away and began walking. "Come on, you two. If we keep a good pace, we should be able to make it back in time for lunch."

The Doctor had kept himself several paces ahead of his companions during the walk back to the village. His brisk stride seemed almost too much for Turlough, who still stepped somewhat gingerly over the many roots and vines that tangled through the jungle floor. The schoolboy muttered a few words about being unfit and not accustomed to hikes amid such lush surroundings.

Tegan fared only slightly better, catching her stockings on a wayward branch more than once. By the time they reached the village, she was feeling quite cross, emotions fueled mostly by her hunger and lack of sleep. She was glad when the Doctor led them immediately to Ennen's home, where succulent smells drifted through the open doorway.

The elder was seated with his extended family, but he stood when the guests arrived, offering them a polite, though succinct, greeting. His wife immediately asked them to join the family for lunch, a suggestion seconded only half-heartedly by her husband.

"We don't want to trouble you," the Doctor replied, sensing the man's slight reticence.

Ennen smiled somewhat woodenly. "It's no trouble. Please." He bowed his head and held out his hands.

"Thank you," said the Doctor. "Tegan and Turlough are hungry after our walk."

The two young people sat, Tegan gratefully accepting a plate and digging in. Turlough nodded in acknowledgement, sampling his food at a slower pace. The Time Lord took only a bit of fruit and a cup of water.

The meal was completed in relative silence. Ennen asked if the Doctor had found what he was searching for, and seemed regretful when told that the walk proved fruitless. The Doctor had kept the precise identity of the lost object vague, realizing that the villagers would not understand the nature of a ship capable of space travel, let alone a TARDIS. He had simply told them that he and his companions had lost something very important to them, something that they must find before they could leave.

After lunch the Doctor proposed a brief stroll to survey the damage left by the fire up close. He watched Tegan's reaction to his suggestion and found her amenable. They walked the short distance to the jungle's edge, where villagers continued to clear away the debris.

"It's odd that a fire would start out here," the Doctor commented with a glance at Tegan.

"Maybe some embers from one of the fires in the village were carried by the wind," she said.

"Possibly, although there was little wind last night."

Tegan shrugged. "I can't think what else would cause a fire."

"No?" He turned to her. "Tegan." His voice was firm but not harsh.

She looked at him curiously. "Yes?"

He took a few steps back, leading her along by the hands; she still faced him.

"I want you to listen to me," he said. He was rubbing his thumbs along the backs of her hands, and his eyes were focused intently upon hers. "Concentrate on my voice, on nothing else, just me."

She nodded, eyelids lowering slowly.

"Doctor," hissed Turlough, "what are you doing?"

The Time Lord shook his head and pursed his lips quickly with a low "sshh." Turlough understood and moved away a few feet. The Doctor led Tegan away from the charred area, toward a pleasant clearing. She looked like a sleepwalker to Turlough, who watched the proceedings with interest.

The Doctor guided her toward a grassy spot and gently pulled her down, settling her against a mossy tree trunk then sitting before her. "Now Tegan," he said, "close your eyes but don't sleep. You may rest, but you need to continue to listen to me, all right?"

She nodded almost imperceptibly, and her eyelids lowered completely.

"I want you to think back to yesterday, when you and Turlough returned to the TARDIS. Picture yourself entering and walking through the console room. Can you see it?"

She nodded again with a whispered "yes."

"Good. Now where did you go after that?"

"To the atrium," she said softly.

"And what did you do there?"

"I got the book."

"Yes. And after that? Tell me where you went."

"Back down the hall."

"And to the console room."

She shook her head. "No."

"No? Where did you go, then?"

"Down the hall, then to my room."

"And what did you do there?"

"Put on some lipstick."

Turlough rolled his eyes.

"Then you returned to the main console room," the Doctor said.

"Yes," she murmured, "but I saw Turlough in the hallway and stopped for a second."

Turlough stepped forward. "Doctor, I don't think this is a very good idea—"

The Time Lord looked up at him. "Quiet," he said rather sternly.

"But if you don't know what you're doing, you could—"

"I do." His tone left no room for argument. He returned his attention to Tegan. "What happened next?"

"We went into the console room," she said dreamily, "and then it began to shake. My stomach felt funny—I was going to be sick." Suddenly a hand shot up to her mouth and she grimaced.

"It's all right, Tegan," the Doctor assured her, "you aren't going to be sick now."

She swallowed dubiously but finally nodded. "I ran outside and threw up." Her nose wrinkled in distaste at the vivid memory, "And I heard it—the TARDIS dematerialising, and when I looked up it was gone."

"And where did you send it?"

Her eyes were still closed, but he could see them moving quickly beneath her lids. She shook her head. "Nowhere."

"Tegan, tell me what you did at the controls."

She shook her head firmly again. "I didn't touch them."

"You're going to tell me the truth," he said, his voice still even. "You must tell me the truth."

"I am." Her mouth was set in a firm line.

He sighed and muttered up to Turlough, "She's set up a mental barrier; she's resisting."

"Then perhaps you should stop," the Trion youth responded. "She's not going to tell you anything, at least not anything that's true."

"I have one more thing to ask her," he said, looking back at the Australian. He took her wrist lightly and ran his finger along near the burn. "Tegan, tell me how you burned your hand."

Her eyelids flickered. "I don't know."

"Then tell me about the fire. How did it start?"

Again she shook her head. "Don't know. Embers, maybe."

"And you burned yourself as it was starting, didn't you?"

"No." Her response was firm.

He had kept his fingers on her wrist. "Pulse is slightly elevated," he said to Turlough. "She's holding something back."

Tegan was shaking her head and murmuring something incomprehensible. The Doctor leaned in to listen.

"What's she saying?" asked Turlough.

He sat back, his expression showing some frustration. "She says she doesn't know, doesn't remember. I'll have to take her to a deeper level of hypnosis."

"Is that really a good idea? I mean, if she's resisting, couldn't forcing her to remember be dangerous?"

The Doctor was standing, lifting Tegan to her feet. "It's the only way to find out where she sent the TARDIS." He began leading her along, back toward the village.

"You're not doing it now, are you?"

"No. I'm just going to return her to where we were earlier before I wake her. I'll try again later."

"But it could harm her," Turlough protested, frowning in concern.

"Yes. But if I don't do it, she could harm us all. I think it's worth the risk."


	7. Chapter 7

Turlough volunteered to spend the afternoon helping the villagers with their clean-up, joining them in the jungle for several hours. The men's extra work took them away from their farming tasks, so the women busied themselves with the irrigation ditches and the weeding. Tegan had asked if she could assist, but her offers were politely declined. She had the oddest feeling that the women were uncomfortable around her, though she could not imagine why.

The Doctor had walked out to the fields with her. When it was clear that neither he nor she could be of assistance, he suggested that they return to the village. Tegan noticed a basket of green beans outside Ennen's house and sat down in the pleasant shade to prepare the vegetables for the evening meal. At least she could do something useful while the other women were otherwise occupied.

The Time Lord watched for a few minutes, but finally she said, "If you want to help, grab a handful of beans."

"That's going to take some time, isn't it?"

She nodded. "Probably half an hour at least."

"I'm going to see how the clean-up is coming along. I'll be back soon."

She shrugged. "Take your time. I don't need you for anything here."

He walked off slowly, glancing back at her several times to be certain that she remained occupied. When he was out of her sight, he began looking about near the fire pits, trying to see if he could find any evidence of her presence there during the night.

As Tegan snapped a particularly stubborn bean in half, it occurred to her that the TARDIS could easily have been obscured from view by some of the heavier foliage. There was a dense clump of trees that she recalled noticing to the west of the village. She set aside the basket and stood. A short walk out to the copse would assure her that the police box had not simply been overlooked. She headed out into the jungle.

She had gone about half a kilometer when she heard a rustling in the leaves. She knew that there were many birds in the area, but she hadn't seen any large animals. Yet something heavy was definitely moving through the brush. Tegan slipped behind a tree to wait for the animal to emerge into the clearing.

The leaves moved, and she caught a flash of copper. The animal was taller than she was. She looked up, judging how quickly she could reach the lowest branch if she needed to clamber up the tree.

The creature was drawing closer, moving aside the brush as it approached. She heard something fall to the ground, or was it just a very heavy footstep? She reached up for the branch.

"Tegan?"

Turlough's voice startled her as he stepped out into the clearing.

"Oh!" she gasped. "It's you! I thought you were an animal—something big and nasty. What are you doing out here?"

His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked about. "I could ask you the same thing."

"I was looking for the TARDIS. There's a dense area over there that we weren't able to see from the hill this morning—"

"It's not there. I already checked."

"But I thought you were helping with the clean up—"

"I was," he answered abruptly. "But then I remembered the clump of trees, and I thought I should check." He turned back toward the jungle. "Come on. We should get back."

"All right." She began walking toward the spot where he had emerged, but he reached over and took her arm.

"Not that way," he said. "The plants are too thick. This way's easier."

She followed him through the brush, wondering just what his idea of easy really was: The jungle was heavier here than anyplace she had been on her previous route. Turlough's mood, too, was less than light. He seemed preoccupied, almost angry with her, responding tersely to her attempts to begin a conversation. Finally she gave up and walked silently along behind him.

* * *

When they reached the village, the women had returned from the fields and were preparing the evening meal. A few inquiries revealed that the Doctor was with Cabar. Turlough told Tegan that the Time Lord wanted to speak with her, so she followed him to the shaman's hut. Turlough poked his head inside but did not enter. He saw that the Doctor was seated on the floor, crushing several leaves in a mortar. Cabar was absent. 

The Trion youth stepped inside. "Doctor," he said, "Tegan was out in the jungle."

The Time Lord looked up from his work. "I thought you were going to prepare the beans," he said, setting aside the stone bowl and standing.

Tegan said, "I wanted to see if I could find the TARDIS. I remembered an area with a lot of trees, and I thought that if it was there we wouldn't have been able to see it from the hill."

"It wasn't there," Turlough informed the Doctor summarily.

"No?" The Doctor strode to Tegan and looked directly into her eyes. "But you thought it might be?"

"It was worth a try," she replied.

"Where's Cabar?" asked Turlough.

The Doctor answered, "He wanted to check on twins who were born a few days ago. He'll be back soon."

"I should see if they need any more help cleaning up," Turlough said, backing out of the hut. "Excuse me."

Tegan still stood before the Doctor. He had not removed his gaze from her. Her eyes, however, flicked to the bowl he had been using. "What are you making?" she asked.

"A combination of herbs that promote relaxation."

"Something for Cabar? For someone in the village?"

He took her elbow gently. "Come and sit down, Tegan."

Suddenly she felt vaguely suspicious of his motives. She had a niggling feeling that he was trying to trick her into something, or that he had already succeeded… "Why?" she asked.

"I have some more aloe for your hand," he said reasonably.

The burn was still painful, so she sat on the soft woven mat that he indicated and permitted him to rub the broken leaf over her wrist.

"I'd still like to know how you got this," he said.

"Why does that matter so much to you? You've already asked me."

He placed her hand in her lap and looked up at her again. "The fact that you can't seem to remember concerns me."

"Why? I was in the middle of a fire—there was smoke, and I could barely breathe—"

"And you can't quite recall just how you got there."

"I remember going into the jungle, but then the smoke just seemed to surround me."

"At least a few minutes must have elapsed between your entering the jungle and the smoke becoming so thick that it affected your breathing. Think about it, Tegan. You're missing several minutes from your memory."

She blinked, the impact of his words hitting her unexpectedly. "I hadn't thought of it that way."

"No, but I want you to consider it now. Whatever happened during those few minutes could be very important in determining how the fire started."

"Oh, wait one minute, Doctor," she said, pulling away. "Are you trying to say you think I had something to do with it?"

"I don't know."

She began to stand, but he took her hand and pulled her back down. "I think we need to find out," he said simply.

"But I've already told you that I can't remember! What more do you want me to do?"

"I want you to let me hypnotize you."

She squinted at him. "Like you did when I was having nightmares about the Mara?"

"Yes."

"But the Mara's gone—you told me it had been destroyed. You can't still think it's influencing me?"

"No, I don't think that at all. But I do believe that something caused you to forget what happened in the jungle, and I think that we need to find out what it was."

Suddenly comprehension dawned on her. "When I asked the women if I could help, they were sort of cool to me—they acted like they didn't really want me around. Do they think I started the fire?"

"I'm not sure, but it's possible. There is a chance that we may be stranded here for some time. We may need to live among these people, and we won't be able to do that comfortably if they don't trust us. If I can find out exactly what happened last night, I'll know what to tell them and how to handle the situation best."

"But why, Doctor?"

"Because if they can't trust us—"

"No, I mean why would I start a fire?"

"I want to help you find out."

She thought for a minute or so, finally looking at the mortar and pestle nearby. "Is that for me?"

"I was hoping that it might be. It would help you to enter a state in which you'd be more receptive to hypnosis."

"More receptive?"

He smiled reassuringly. "Receptive, Tegan, mentally and physically open to it. That's what I meant."

She shook her head. "After having the Mara in my mind I really don't like the idea of having someone else poke around in there. It just feels like an invasion somehow."

"I understand that, and I won't do anything besides ask you a few questions. You can trust me on this."

"I'm not sure…"

He took her hand again. "Please, Tegan. It's important to me, but it's also important for you."

She took a deep breath. "All right. But just for a few minutes, okay?"

He squeezed her hand. "Okay."

He stood up. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"To ask Cabar to keep us from being disturbed."

"You're going to do it in here?"

He bent for a moment to light a match and hold it to a small clay bowl. A flame leapt up then settled down to burn across the surface. "A bit of incense," he said with a quick smile. "It's very calming."

He left and Tegan sat quietly, wondering precisely what she had forgotten and, with a shiver, exactly why.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later Tegan lay among a nest of soft pillows on the floor of the shaman's hut. The Doctor had blended the herbal mixture into some fresh juice that she had consumed only half willingly. Despite her reservations, it had the desired effect: She had grown drowsy and relaxed, her mind and body receptive to the Doctor's words. She became deeply hypnotized in a matter of minutes. 

The atmosphere of the hut was tranquil, with the incense still burning softly and perfuming the room with a subtly spicy aroma. Cabar sat in the corner, quietly watching the Time Lord and his companion. The shaman had entered just as Tegan slipped into the hypnotic state. He wanted to observe the session but had felt it best that she remain unaware of his attendance. The Doctor agreed, permitting the man access only so that he could determine whether she knew anything about the presence he had sensed.

The Doctor had been asking Tegan questions for several minutes, but her responses had only frustrated him. She still would not admit to programming the TARDIS or to having any involvement in the fire. The Doctor decided to try a different tack.

"Tell me about waking up last night," he said.

"I was hungry," she said with a smile. "All your worrying was for nothing. Turlough's too—the water I drank was fine."

"So you woke up because you were hungry. What did you do next?"

"I got out of bed and went into the common room, but I didn't see any food sitting out, so I went outside. I remembered noticing baskets of fruit earlier. I went over to one and reached for a piece of fruit, but there was a smell—too sweet. I felt a little queasy and wanted some fresh air. The smoke from the fire pit was bothering me, too, so I walked out toward the jungle."

"And did you take anything with you?"

She shook her head, her forehead wrinkling in confusion. "What would I take out there?"

"Something from the village—something from the fire pit perhaps."

"No, nothing. I didn't take anything." Her voice was firm.

The Doctor sighed and glanced back at Cabar. The shaman had moved forward and was crouched a few feet from Tegan, watching her face intently.

"How did you burn your hand, Tegan?" the Time Lord asked.

"Don't know."

Continued questioning yielded no more satisfactory results. Tegan was growing slightly agitated, with clenched fists and an expression of frustration on her face.

"They won't let her tell you," Cabar said softly.

"What?" the Doctor asked.

"The spirits. They're keeping her from saying what she wants to say. You see how troubled she's becoming. They're forcing her to remain quiet."

The Doctor was silent for a few moments, then he said, "I'm afraid that this isn't working as I'd hoped it would. I'm going to bring her out of it."

"Yes, I think that's a good idea. The spirits will only harm her more if you keep this up."

"Harm her more?"

Cabar stood and beckoned for the Time Lord to follow him toward the far wall. "I understand what's happened to her now," the shaman said.

"I'm afraid I'm not following you."

"She said that the water she drank was fine. Did she drink from the stream where the spirits were?"

"Yes, when she and Turlough went there I believe she had some of the water. But it feeds the brook that supplies the water to the village here. Surely it's not dangerous—"

"It's not the water, Doctor. It's the spirits in the water. When she drank it, a dark spirit entered her."

The Doctor had difficulty keeping his tone even but understood that his words could not show disrespect for this man's beliefs. Finally he said, "If that were the case, spirits would have entered all those who drank from the stream."

Cabar shook his head. "No. That morning I felt a change in the spirits, a movement all around me. Something disturbed them and caused them to come to the surface of the water that day. If they had remained content they would still be deep within the stream."

"But I thought you believed that they were good spirits?"

"Yes, most of them are. But now I can see that a dark spirit dwelt among them. Perhaps that is what drove them out—an angry spirit that has now taken possession of your friend. It saw the darkness that remained in her and sought it out."

Tegan was murmuring softly, so the Doctor returned to her side as Cabar stepped out of the hut. "It's time to wake up," he told her. "When I snap my fingers you will awake, feeling rested and calm."

When he heard the snap of the Doctor's fingers, Turlough stood carefully and crept away from the outer wall behind the hut.

* * *

Cabar did not have to encourage the Doctor to station himself outside Tegan's room while she slept that night. While the Time Lord did not share the shaman's belief in the totality of spiritual possession, he did believe that his Australian friend was under the influence of some force that he could not clearly identify. Her inability to recall her actions in the TARDIS and in the jungle showed how deeply she had repressed the memories. He was beginning to wonder if she had even stored the events in her memory; perhaps she could not access them because they were not there. Some form of dissociation might have prevented her from encoding the events. 

He had slipped into the house just after she went to bed. Cabar had explained his presence to Mita and her husband, assuring them that Tegan posed no threat if she was watched. The Doctor kept a quiet vigil throughout the night, but Tegan did not awake. Twice, though, he heard her muttering in her sleep. He could not comprehend her words, but the tone indicated unrest. At some level she must be aware that something was wrong.

Early in the morning he left the house to busy himself in one of the nearby herb garden plots, keeping an eye on the doorway as he worked. For a few moments his attention was drawn to one of the plants. Its leaves were deep green with distinctly purple veins and stems. He was not familiar with this particular herb and wondered what it was. He made a mental note to retrieve his book and look it up later. Now that he thought about, he was not sure who had the book. Tegan said that she had found it, but he could not recall seeing it in her hands when she and Turlough returned to tell him about the disappearance of the TARDIS. Perhaps she had set it down inside the ship and it had vanished, too.

The formerly communal meals shared by the visitors and the villagers abruptly changed with the morning's breakfast. Ennen's wife and Mita brought food and drinks to one of the tables near the elder's home, setting out three plates then inviting the guests to eat. This arrangement seemed to cause some discomfort among their hosts and the other villagers, who glanced out warily from their huts.

As Tegan ate, she commented, "I feel like we're on display."

"I'm afraid that we are, to some extent," agreed the Doctor.

Turlough took a sip of juice as his eyes flicked from hut to hut. "They seem suspicious of us," he said.

"So word's gotten around," Tegan sighed. "They all think I started the fire."

"Well, they all know that none of them did it, and you were the only one out in the jungle that night," Turlough said.

The Doctor shot the young man a stern look. "They aren't accustomed to strangers, and our arrival did coincide with several unusual events, so it's not surprising that they'd be somewhat wary of us."

"Maybe," Tegan conceded, "but I still feel like they're watching me most closely of all."

The Doctor didn't seem to have any good response for that; he merely took a long drink of his juice. Tegan's appetite had faded, and she pushed her plate away.

They had just finished breakfast and were taking their dishes back to Ennen's house when three men came rushing into the village. One was Ennen's son-in-law, Aveoh, who Tegan recalled tended the crops each day.

The three hurried inside the house, and the elder emerged with them a minute later then hastened back out toward the crop fields. Ennen's wife came outside to watch their departure.

"What's happened?" asked the Doctor.

She looked up at him with frightened eyes. "They say the plants are dying."

The Doctor took Tegan's arm, and, with a glance at Turlough, urged, "Come on!" as he began walking swiftly away.

"Where are we going?" she asked, shuffling to keep up with his pace.

"Out to the fields. I want to see what's happening to the plants."

It wasn't difficult to find the source of the farmers' agitation. Near the irrigation ditches tender new plants lay wilted and brown in the cool morning dew. Several other villagers had joined Ennen and the three men. Two of the newcomers held fishing nets. All were talking rapidly, voicing rising with emotion.

As the Doctor approached them, Ennen lifted a hand to silence the men.

"Tell us what's going on," the Time Lord exhorted.

Ennen pointed at a row of withered plants. "You can see that the plants are dying," he said. "And now I hear that the plants by the stream are dying, too."

The Doctor bent to dip his fingers into the irrigation ditch then taste the water. He stood and gestured to Tegan and Turlough to follow him. "Show me the stream," he said to the fishermen.

They walked a short distance to see that, as reported, the plants growing near the stream lay limply along the banks. The Doctor tasted the water once again then began walking along, following the stream toward its source. The small group trouped along behind him.

"Doctor," Tegan asked softly, hurrying to walk right at his side, "what's happened?"

"I'll tell you as soon as I'm sure," he replied.

In a few minutes they reached a small lake from which the stream flowed. The Doctor knelt to study the outlet, then reached into the water. He stuck his arm in deeper, nearly up to the shoulder, his hand disappearing beneath the rocks near the bottom. After some wriggling and twisting, he pulled out his arm to reveal a large cloth bundle dripping from his hand.

"What is that?" asked Ennen.

The Doctor shook his head and untied the drenched cloth sack. Inside he found a heavy clump of something resembling powder. He bent to sniff the contents, then took a small bit between his fingers to touch it to his tongue.

"It's a mixture of talc and potassium," he said.

"I don't know those words," Ennen replied. "What are they?"

"Talc is a mineral, and potassium in a chemical element. Both are commonly found in magma chambers, such as the ones near the sites of the volcanic eruptions."

"Talc and potassium are what killed the plants?" asked Ennen.

The Doctor nodded gravely.

"But how did they get there?" Aveoh questioned.

Ennen looked up, eyes fixing on Tegan. "It was her," he said slowly. "She did it."

Tegan took a step back. "Me? That's crazy! Why would I do that? I didn't even know those could kill plants, and even if I did, I wouldn't have the foggiest idea where to find them!"

"We understand that you didn't do it willfully," Ennen said. "Cabar has told us about the spirit that possesses you."

"Spirit—that possesses me?" For once Tegan was at a loss for words.

She felt the eyes of everyone present upon her. She looked at the faces surrounding her. The villagers were scared; she could see that. Turlough appeared slightly surprised, but he quickly regained a stoic expression. It was the Doctor's face that hurt her: He was looking at her with sympathy and regret.

"No," she began, taking another step back. Her instinct was to flee, to run away from these people and their ludicrous assumptions. She turned and began to run, but strong hands caught her immediately.

"It wasn't me!" she cried. "Why would you think that? I haven't done anything!"

"Please," said the Doctor evenly, "let her go. I'll take her back to the village and watch her. You should go to all of the streams in the area and check them immediately."

Aveoh stepped up to Tegan and jabbed an angry finger at her shoulder. "Where else did you put them?" he spat.

She shrank back, permitting the Doctor to place a protective arm around her. "I didn't! You have to believe me—"

"Please," the Doctor entreated, directing his words to Ennen, "just check the other streams. I won't let her out of my sight."

Ennen spread his hands, and the others backed away as the Doctor began leading Tegan back toward the village, Turlough close behind them.

Tegan twisted her head around to look behind her. "Why do they think I did this?" she asked, voice trembling with both anger and fear. "You have to tell them that I had nothing to do with it!"

She felt his arm tighten around her waist. "I don't know if I can do that," he said quietly.

She stopped in her tracks, pulling away from him. "Oh my God. You think it was me, too?" She jerked her head toward Turlough. "And you do, too, don't you?"

"I did see you out in the jungle yesterday," Turlough said. "That wasn't very far from here. You sneaked away from the village—"

"I went to look for the TARDIS! I didn't sneak away. There was no one around to tell."

Both men were watching her, judging her… "Cripes," she hissed, "then tell me how I did it? How did I know that those things would kill the plants?"

"You had the botany book from the TARDIS," the Doctor reminded her. "All of the information was in there."

She shook her head adamantly. "I dropped the book in the grass when I got sick. I left it there—I never even thought to pick it up again after the TARDIS disappeared."

"Tegan," Turlough said, his voice forcibly calm, "you had the book with you later; I saw it."

"No, I—" She blinked and rubbed a hand over her forehead. Her head was aching, thoughts racing in confusion. "I thought I left it there," she said softly. "I don't… I can't remember…" She buried her face in her hands.

After a moment she felt the Doctor's hand at her back, gently urging her forward. She did not lift her head and did not even ask where they were going.


	8. Chapter 8

They were pleased with their success but still concerned about the difficulty of the overall task. Considerable time would be required before they could disembark in a more suitable environment, and they knew that they could not survive in the vessel indefinitely. It would be important to speed up the process, but to do this they would need to take almost complete command of the ship.

They would have to direct its movements at all times, imposing their will upon it fully. This would send if off course, surely, and might interfere with its functioning. They were concerned that some of its systems would be disrupted and possibly even shut down, which would affect the interior environment and its habitability. Still, these risks were really unavoidable; the changes were too slow at present.

The most knowledgeable among them gathered in the command center, examining the system carefully and starting the process of obtaining much greater control. They could feel the vessel resisting, its initial programming fighting this change. But they persevered, and they knew that they were winning.

* * *

When they reached the edge of the village, Turlough veered away from the Doctor and Tegan, saying that he was going to help the others check the water supply.

When he was out of earshot, Tegan said, "I know Turlough thinks I did it—that I set the fire and put that stuff in the water—and I suppose I can understand that, since he did things he didn't want to do when the Black Guardian was controlling him." She looked up at the Doctor with large eyes. "But you…how can you think it was me? You said that I didn't tell you anything when I was hypnotized, that I didn't know what had happened in the jungle. That means that I wasn't responsible. I can't remember something that didn't happen!"

The Doctor stopped walking and turned to face her. He had kept a hand at her back, but how he lifted both hands to her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes.

"Tegan, the fact that you wouldn't tell me anything may mean that the memories are buried so deeply in your subconscious that you can't retrieve them."

"Rabbits, Doctor, that's really hard to believe."

His expression was a mixture of sadness, compassion, and concern. She felt her cheeks growing warm under his intent gaze, in the face of the knowledge that he did not believe or trust her. Perhaps he never had. Tears began to sting at her eyes.

"I don't blame you," he said softly. "If anyone is at fault, it's me. I should have watched you more carefully, worked with you after we left Manussa to teach you how to resist mental manipulation."

"That's what you think this is?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Something must have lead you out into the jungle, must have encouraged you to set the fire. And whatever it was, you found it so upsetting that you tucked it away in a very far corner of your mind that even hypnosis can't reach."

"Ennen said they think I'm possessed," she uttered, almost afraid to speak the words. "That's the Mara all over again."

The Time Lord shook his head. "I don't believe in spiritual possession, at least not in the same way that Cabar and the villagers see it." He had lifted his head to look around, aware that faces were peering out of huts, watching him and Tegan.

She noticed their audience, too, and suddenly felt very uncomfortable and oddly vulnerable. "So what are we going to do? If we could find the TARDIS, we could just leave, but we don't know where it went."

The Doctor sighed. "No, we don't." The catachrestic nature of his words was not lost on her.

"You think I know, that I did that, too?"

"I'm afraid it's a logical conclusion."

She leaned in, gripping his arm with her hand, some of her anger making its way into her fingers. He nearly winced.

"Did it ever occur to you," she said, her voice harsh, "that maybe it was someone or something else? Someone here, or someone who arrived at the same time that we did—"

"I have considered that," he said, gently prying her fingers off of his arm. "And if I can find any evidence to support that, I will be the first to share it. But in the meantime, I think it's best if you remain in one place so that everyone knows where you are."

He began walking again, leading her back toward Mita's home.

"Fine," she said, "but I almost hope that something else happens."

In response to his sharp, questioning glance, she added, "Then everyone will know that it wasn't me!"

* * *

The Doctor had produced a pair of dice from his pocket and attempted to teach Tegan a game involving squares of numbers and cube roots and a few other things that she thought Adric would have loved. However, it was much too complex for her preoccupied mind, and after half an hour she had thrown up her hands in defeat.

"You win! I give in."

"But Tegan, you were beginning to understand the strategy—"

"Beginner's luck, trust me."

He held out the dice again, but the adamant shake of her head prompted him to tuck them back into his pocket.

"I may have a deck of cards in here somewhere," he began, rummaging through the interior of his jacket.

Cabar's and Ennen's entrance into the room, however, stopped his efforts. The elders' expressions were grave, and Tegan could see that Ennen was wary of her.

With a small bow of his head, Cabar said, "We have discussed this among the council of elders. We understand that you can't leave here, that you aren't able to, but we can't permit you to stay if Tegan poses any threat to us."

Tegan opened her mouth to protest, but the Doctor held up a hand to silence her. "Of course. We'll leave the village as soon as possible—"

"No, Doctor," Ennen said, "that won't take away the danger. The spirit may lead her back here, back to the village to do further harm."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand," the Doctor said. "If you don't want us to leave, what are you suggesting?"

"The spirit must be driven out," Cabar stated. "It's the only way that we will all be safe."

Now Tegan spoke, stepping past the Doctor to ask, "Driven out? What are you talking about?"

Cabar bowed his head again, and she realized that he was afraid to look at her. "There is a ritual, one that was used long ago, that will purify you and will force the dark spirit to leave your body."

"To leave my body? Wait a minute, that sounds like an exorcism—"

"Perhaps that's your word for it," Cabar said. "Our shamen have always called it the purification."

"You've done this before?" asked the Doctor.

Cabar shook his head. "No, there has been no need for it in many years, but I know what to do."

"And what would this involve?" the Time Lord questioned.

Cabar took a step back. "I'll be glad to explain it, but not here. Come with me."

The Doctor and Tegan began to follow him out the door, but Ennen held out his arm to prevent her from leaving.

"Hey!" she protested, "what are you doing?"

"You must remain here," Ennen said.

"Doctor!" she cried.

He turned back for a moment. "It's all right, Tegan. Stay here, and I'll be back as soon as I've spoken with Cabar."

Tegan noticed that three burly villagers had appeared just outside her doorway. Resigned, she sat on the bed and put her head in her hands.

"Tell me exactly what will happen during the purification ceremony," the Doctor said as soon as he and Cabar had left the hut. They stood a few yards away, near the edge of the jungle.

"Tegan's body and mind will be cleansed so that the dark spirit will leave her."

"Cleansed? In a spiritual sense, you mean?"

"Yes, there will be incantations to purify her mind, and I'll ask the spirits of our ancestors to come, to help her as she fights the darkness."

"So basically this is a ritual involving prayer, meditation, chanting."

The shaman nodded. "In part. The body must be able cast out the spirit, too, to purge itself of the unclean."

The Time Lord had begun to frown. "And how is that done?"

"This is a very sacred ceremony, sacrosanct to our people. I can't tell you any more. The spirits of our ancestors may become angry if I do, and I must keep them appeased if they are to help me with Tegan."

"I understand the need for discretion, but I need your assurance that Tegan won't be harmed."

Cabar lifted his face to look at the sky. "The body, Doctor, is simply a vessel for the soul. We cannot keep this vessel alive forever. Ultimately it is the spirit that will persist, that will dwell forever in harmony with the Earth. Tegan's spirit is what must concern us most. If I can't cast out the dark spirit, it will overtake her completely. It will devour her soul and lead her into eternal darkness."

"I appreciate your concern for her, but I can't permit you to do this unless you promise me that there is no danger to her."

"There is already terrible danger."

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, perhaps. But tell me what the risks are to her if she undergoes the ceremony."

"There is little risk to her spirit—I know that our ancestors will protect her. Once the dark spirit has been forced out, her soul will be free."

"And her body?"

Cabar's gaze returned to the Doctor. "Her body may not survive it."

The Time Lord's eyes widened, and his mouth set in a hard line. "Then I will not allow it."

Cabar's expression was one of compassion as he said, "I'm sorry, Doctor, this is out of your hands. You have no choice in the matter."

"No, you're wrong. It is entirely my choice, and I forbid it—"

Cabar had turned his head back toward the house. The doorway was not visible from their position, but something in the shaman's posture sent the Doctor rushing back inside. The hut was empty.

"Where have you taken her?" he demanded, but when he turned back he found that Cabar had vanished, too.

* * *

Tegan was only remotely aware that she was being carried through the jungle. Her head was in a fog, and her body felt oddly numb. There had been a vaguely familiar smell, sweet yet pungent, surrounding her just after the Doctor left her. And now she was outside, glimpsing the blue sky high above as her vision cleared then clouded in undulating waves.

She knew that she should try to move, try to turn her head at least to see who held her, but she could not find the energy to do so. All she could manage was to hold her eyes open for a few more seconds before the cloudiness shrouded her once again.

* * *

The Time Lord had run to Cabar's hut first, but the shaman had not taken Tegan there. The Doctor's entreaties for information about her whereabouts were met with deaf ears. His urgent requests were refused by the villagers whose huts he entered. He could elicit no information from the few individuals he asked. He noticed immediately that many huts were empty; most of the residents had disappeared as surreptitiously as Tegan had.

Finally he returned to Mita's hut to examine the area around it. He saw many footprints in the soft dirt, but they led in all directions, and he could not determine which were the most recent. He followed one set for about twenty meters out into the jungle, but they ceased abruptly at a small brook, and he found no other tracks on the opposite side.

He did, however, see Turlough moving through the brush some distance ahead. Calling out to his friend, he hurried toward the Trion lad. Turlough stopped and turned around.

"Turlough! They've taken Tegan for a ceremony. We have to find her; she's in danger. Did you see anyone out here?"

Turlough blinked at the Doctor in surprise. "No," he replied.

"Continue up that way and see if you can find anything," the Time Lord instructed. "Let's meet back here in half an hour."

Turlough turned back and continued walking without responding to his friend. The Doctor hurried away in the other direction.

* * *

There was a delicate balance required to maintain the systems of the ship while wresting nearly complete control from it. They had not anticipated the intense resistance the vessel put up. They had thought of it as merely a means of transportation, but now they realized that in many ways it was as alive as they were. It was sentient, and this characteristic prevented them from taking full command.

Still, they were making good progress. They were able to navigate the ship, to send it where they wished and order it to do their bidding. They had to permit it to function with a small amount of autonomy in order to keep it from shutting down.

They drove it forward, steering it not by sight but by use of its own sensors. They could perceive what its visual system picked up, and they used this information to keep it out of harm's way. It was critical to avoid a crash of any sort.

But its processors still would not submit fully to their will. They could feel it balking, fighting against them. They redoubled their efforts, determined to take final and full control. And after a time, they knew that they had succeeded: The vessel was entirely within their power.

* * *

The Doctor stormed through the jungle, eyes and ears alert to any noises, sights, or even smells that might steer him in the direction Tegan had been taken. His mind raced over the possibilities for the ceremonial location. It would most likely be held somewhere that the tribe considered spiritual and sacred, but he could think of nowhere that Cabar had mentioned with such significance. The only place that the shaman had noted as having a spiritual connection was the stream where he had first sensed the dark presence. Perhaps a clue lay there.

The Time Lord hurried toward the small clearing where the cool, sparkling water flowed cheerily, burbling along over smooth rocks. He noted with some small relief that the plants nearby had not been harmed and realized that this stream must have a different source than those affected by the toxins.

He looked around, noting the indentation in the grass that indicated Cabar's usual resting spot. He recalled that the shaman often came to this area at sunrise. He bent to examine the ground. Near the crushed blades was a cluster of volcanic rock. The surface was rough, with tiny fissures all throughout it. It was an interesting specimen, but it revealed nothing about Cabar's whereabouts. The Doctor sighed and began to turn away.

His eyes flicked back to one of the fissures. There was something about it—something had drawn his attention to it almost subconsciously. He moved closer, peering at the minute opening. His gaze moved back and forth, comparing the fissure with the others near it. After a few moments he placed his hand on the rock, running a finger along the surface. He leaned in closer.

"I wonder," he muttered, closing his eyes for several seconds in an effort to concentrate.

Abruptly he leapt to his feet, lifting a hand to his forehead. "Of course!" he cried, then he turned to hurry away.

* * *

She had tried to resist the cup that was held to her lips, had wanted to keep her mouth closed, but strong hands held her head and determined fingers pried her lips apart. The liquid, bitter and warm, had been forced into her mouth, and she had needed to swallow it to keep from choking.

Her mind still felt fuzzy, images blurring before her and sounds echoing dimly in her ears. She could not focus her vision on the colors that swam before her. She knew that someone was speaking, but the words were utterly incomprehensible to her. Still, she would gladly have remained in this state rather than the one she suddenly found herself in.

At first she had felt the heat in her belly, soon after swallowing the liquid. The sensation had grown, spreading outward to her limbs and making her skin dry and red. The heat intensified, and with it came the beginnings of pain.

Tegan moaned and tried to reach out, hoping to find some human contact, someone who would hold her hand, but there was nothing. Indeed, she felt as though she were floating; she could not feel any surface beneath her. But it was not the pleasant sensation of hovering weightlessly as in a dream. Rather, it was a feeling of isolation, as though she were completely alone in the room, the hut, the village, the universe. She was a speck in an infinite space, removed from everyone she had ever known, unable to see or hear anything but darkness.

She cried out, wanting to scream, but her tongue was thick and her throat felt dry and ragged. If she made any sound, she could not hear it. And the pain was intensifying, gnawing at her fingers and toes, moving up to her legs and arms, and she was so hot, so terribly hot.

But her body was beyond her now. She tried to lift her arms again, but they weighed a thousand pounds. Her legs, too, were impossibly heavy. Suddenly a single, clear word seemed to echo in her foggy mind: paralysis.

Tegan was paralyzed, trapped in the darkness and not even able to scream.


	9. Chapter 9

Turlough stumbled through the jungle, knocking aside brush with flailing arms and fists. His feet moved clumsily with shuffling steps. Every half minute or so he took a deep, shuddering breath then exhaled noisily, sometimes with a cough. He was sweating, and his heart was pounding, but he continued moving.

He had to go on, had to complete the task he'd been given. His eyes moved from side to side, searching for something, trying to process what lay before him. Finally he stopped, nearly falling over with the sudden cessation of movement.

His arm rose, his hand heavy with the ax he grasped. He swung the implement awkwardly, its blade catching the dense leaves that lay in its arc. Several small branches fell to the ground. His eyes rotated down, processing the work then lifting again to swing the ax once more.

And again he took a breath, then coughed an exhalation as he cut through the dense jungle brush, leaving branches, fronds, and flowers withering at his feet.

* * *

The Doctor followed the stream for about a kilometer, tracing it back to its origin near the base of the hills. After a time he could smell smoke; unlike the smoke generated by a brush fire, this was pungent yet sweet. He felt certain that he was nearing Cabar's location.

Silently he chided himself for taking so long to figure it out. He should have realized that the ceremony would be held in a place close to water and near the site of the ancient volcanic eruption. The water provided life to the inhabitants and the land, but the volcanic event had been of the most supreme import those many generations ago. It was logical that its source should be perceived as one worthy of both awe and reverence.

The Doctor remembered seeing the cinder cone rising up from his vantage point on the hill. He had noted absently that it lay in the middle of a lake, but he had failed to consider its significance at the time. However, now he guessed that this would be the ideal place to perform an ancient and sacred ceremony. The smell from the ritualistic burning of fragrant boughs confirmed his surmise.

He slowed his steps as he neared the lake. Tegan had been taken from the village without his knowledge or permission, and he knew that his presence was unwelcome here. He moved carefully, quietly through the brush until he could see the smoke billowing up from a small island near the cinder cone in the center of the lake.

Late afternoon shadows were shifting to evening darkness, and a small fire burning at the edge of the island caught his eye. A ring of villagers stood tightly along the perimeter, so he could not see what they surrounded. He could hear the chanting, however; it had a mournful cadence that sent a chill through his entire body. He watched in abject fascination for several minutes, noting that the circle did not part but the voices stilled as a single intonation echoed over the water. Cabar was speaking, commanding the dark spirit to leave.

For an instant there was silence, then the Doctor heard a whimper. It was low at first, but it quickly built into a deep, agonized moan. The Time Lord felt as though he had been caught in a frigid wind. Cold filled him at the anguish conveyed in Tegan's cry.

* * *

The paralysis had only been temporary. While Tegan had been in the grips of it, Cabar had brushed leafy branches over her arms and legs, chanting with increasing urgency as he worked. Her mind was still foggy, but she began to understand some of his words: "Depart." "Leave this body." "It does not want you."

As she began to regain control of her limbs, Tegan felt an increase in the pain. She forced her eyes to move, to stare at her hand, certain that she would see that it was aflame—the burning sensation was excruciating. She was almost surprised when she saw nothing but her own flushed skin. Still, by pure instinct she pulled her hands back, trying to move them away from the source of the pain.

It was when she heard Cabar say, "The pain will not end until you leave this body—and when life has left it you can no longer possess it," that she finally found the strength to scream.

* * *

Quickly the Doctor spurred himself to action. He had to reach the island, but he had to do so quietly. He was certain that he would be stopped if he were seen. His eyes scanned the lake, and he spotted a small canoe near the shore. He hurried toward it, dragging it out of the water then lifting it to carry above his head. He was grateful that the light had faded. It would be difficult for the ceremony participants to see him unless they were watching carefully.

He moved back into the heavier foliage, skirting the edge of the lake until he was on the opposite side of the cinder cone. He returned to the water, setting the canoe on the surface then climbing in. He used his hands to paddle as soundlessly as possible toward the center of the lake.

When he reached the cinder cone, the Doctor stepped out of the canoe. His feet slipped on the damp surface, and he reached out to grab the nearest handhold. He gasped in pain as his palm scraped against the rough rock. He took a moment to find his footing, forcing himself to move more slowly despite the growing intensity of Tegan's cries.

He skirted the cone and reached the other side. The island was only a meter or so from the edge of the cinder cone. The villagers seemed intent on the ceremony, and he was able to leap across the water and land on the island before he was noticed.

* * *

Tegan felt her head lifted. The motion brought new spasms of pain to her entire body, although the hands that held her were gentle. She tried to focus her eyes on the object that was moving toward her.

She blinked, attempting to dash away the hot tears that flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks. She could see something round hovering before her, and her nose wrinkled at the smell drifting up from it. Fingers touched her lips, prying open her mouth as the bowl was rested against her teeth.

Some primitive part of Tegan's brain recognized instinctually that the contents of the bowl must be avoided. The odor, the bitter taste that already seeped into her tongue—these told even her bewildered mind to resist the brew.

She tried to turn her head away, but the hands held her more firmly. She felt the liquid splash against her clenched teeth. Now her jaw was pulled down, and her mouth was forced open. She could think of nothing else to do but scream.

* * *

The circle shifted as Aveoh and Ennen stepped out to grasp the Doctor's arms.

"You must not be here!" the elder hissed. "This is a sacred ceremony for our people alone."

"You have to stop it," the Doctor entreated, suppressing his ire in recognition of the need for reason. "Cabar has made a terrible mistake."

"No, he's casting out the dark spirit now—" began Ennen.

Tegan's shriek punctuated his words. With a burst of strength that startled the two men, the Doctor shrugged them away and pushed his way through the circle. He felt other hands trying to restrain him, but he heaved them away with a savage twist of his arms and shoulders.

"Tegan!" he gasped, his eyes widening as he saw the young woman lying upon a bed of leaves and flowers.

Her arms and legs moved spasmodically, writhing with some terrible internal pain. Her face was twisted in agony, and her skin was florid. Cabar was bent over her, holding a bowl to her mouth as Yare and Gemal forced her head to remain still and her lips to part.

The shaman looked up for an instant, clearly shocked at the Time Lord's unexpected and unwanted presence, but he merely said, "It is almost done."

"No!" the Doctor shouted, sprinting forward with the intention of knocking the bowl from his hands.

However, the villagers had gathered their strength and resolve, and strong arms locked around him—more than he could easily slough off, even with the fortitude of a Time Lord.

"Cabar!" the Doctor yelled, "you must stop! You're wrong about her. There is no dark spirit in her."

The shaman lowered his head again and tilted the bowl up to Tegan's mouth. "It will leave her soon," he said. His voice was calm, but his hands shook.

"Please," the Doctor expostulated, "just stop for a moment. Use your intuition, the gift that has made you such a superb shaman, to try to find the spirit. Can you sense it at all?"

Cabar hesitated, keeping the bowl in one hand but moving the other to rest it over Tegan's forehead. Her eyelids were fluttering, eyes beginning to roll back so that the whites shone eerily in the firelight.

"Please, Cabar, in the name of your ancestors, I ask that you give her no more until you are absolutely certain."

The shaman bowed his head and closed his eyes, hand now pressing hard against the Australian's brow. After nearly a minute his head jerked up, and his hands moved down quickly to push the other elders away as he set the bowl upon the ground. He sank back on his heels, his expression reflecting both astonishment and compunction.

The Doctor was able to wriggle free of his captors, and he fell to his knees next to Tegan. He rested his hands on her cheeks, running his thumb over the liquid that had splashed onto her chin. Her skin was so hot, and he could sense her rapid heartbeat even before he moved a hand down to touch the pulse point on her neck.

"What have you given her?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"The sacred potions," replied Cabar equally softly. "They were supposed to make her body uninhabitable for the dark spirit, and make her mind open to the spirits of our ancestors—"

"What exactly was in them?"

"The white cone flower was the main ingredient," the shaman said.

"The one growing near your hut? That's jimson weed. It contains atropine and scopolamine—they're poisonous." It occurred to him that he was not sharing new information with Cabar. The Doctor's eyes flicked to the bowl. It still contained some liquid. "You didn't give her all of it?"

Cabar shook his head. "She took very little. She was resisting—"

The Doctor stroked Tegan's cheek. "Yes, I'm sure she was."

He shifted around so that he could lift her into his arms, then he stood and carried her to the water's edge. The circle parted for him, the villagers whispering in confusion but understanding that a grave mistake had been made.

Gently he settled his friend upon the grassy bank, keeping one hand beneath her head as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a handkerchief. He dipped it into the cool water and bathed her face. He leaned in closely, his mouth nearly touching her ear, to say softly, "Brave heart, Tegan."

Cabar had made his way through the villagers to squat beside the Doctor and Tegan.

"The entire bowl would most likely have been fatal," the Time Lord said, not even bothering to phrase the words as a question. "But what about the amount she had?"

The shaman took a breath. "I don't know." He began gesturing to several men. "Put her in the canoe," he said.

The men bent to Tegan, but the Doctor pulled her up. "No, I'll do it."

Gently he settled her in a large canoe that was moored a few meters down the shore. He climbed in, pulling up her shoulders to rest her head in his lap. Cabar, Yare, Gemal, and Ennen positioned themselves at the opposite end and began to paddle toward the shore.

"Doctor," said Cabar, his voice shaking, "I didn't know. I sensed the dark spirit so strongly when I touched her hand during the blessing. How could I have been so wrong?"

The Time Lord looked up. "It isn't a spirit," he said.

"But there was something—"

"Yes. And there still is, but it's not within Tegan." He was running the back of his hand over her cheek as he spoke. Several raw scrapes stood out on his palm.

"I don't understand."

The Doctor took a breath in an attempt to calm himself. "Cabar, think about the moment when you believed that you sensed the spirit in her. You placed your hands on the table and touched—"

"All three of you," finished the shaman. "It isn't you."

"No."

Cabar and the other elders seemed to comprehend simultaneously. Short gasps came from all four men. It was the shaman, though, who confirmed their thoughts: "It was Turlough. It was coming from him."

The Doctor nodded gravely. "Yes, I'm afraid so."

"But what is it?" asked Ennen. "You said it's not a dark spirit. What else can it be?"

"Something that is very much alive." The Doctor's eyes moved toward the shore. "And if I'm right about this, Turlough is in very real danger, and so is your village." He thrust his hand into the water to help with the paddling efforts. "Hurry! We don't have much time."

The moment they reached the mainland, the Doctor stood and lifted Tegan out of the canoe. He turned to Cabar, saying, "Please do everything that you can for her."

The shaman took the unconscious young woman from his arms. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I have to find Turlough." The Doctor turned to leave, but stopped for an instant to reach back and take Tegan's hand. "Forgive me," he said softly, then he hurried away.


	10. Chapter 10

Mounds of branches and leaves lay in Turlough's wake. He continued slashing through the brush, trudging forward with heavy steps. His movements were somewhat less ungainly than they had been; it seemed that his body was growing more coordinated, but his breath still came in sharp gasps, as though he had to make an effort to breathe.

He was drenched in sweat, his hair plastered to his forehead even in the cooling evening air. Finally the sky grew too dark for him to continue his work. He turned slowly, his eyes moving over the piles of debris he had left. His hand opened and he dropped the ax.

He stood for several minutes, immobile except for his head, which slowly rotated from one side to the other. His hands hung limply at his sides, the ax forgotten, the pain from blisters across his palms unregistered. After a time he took several steps toward a tall tree and reached up to break off a small limb. He held it before him, then slowly he bent to set it on the ground.

Turlough's hand rose to push into his jacket pocket. His fingers fumbled, but after a few seconds he withdrew a book of matches. Deliberately his knees bent so that he could squat over the branch as he pulled a match from the book. This took some time, since his grasp was still clumsy. The fine motor control would come eventually, but it required more planning than the gross motor movements.

Finally he managed to strike the match and lower his hand to the limb. He did not blink when the tiny flame caught on the leaves and began expanding. Smoke rose up, filling his nostrils and stinging his eyes, but he did not recoil. He coughed, then after nearly half a minute he lifted the impromptu torch high into the air and shambled toward the nearest mound of kindling.

* * *

The Doctor's eyes scanned the jungle, desperate for any sign of Turlough's whereabouts. Now that it was dark he knew he would have more difficulty finding the young man. A small glow glimpsed through the trees ahead, however, gave him a glimmer of hope. Perhaps the night would work to his advantage. Someone had a torch in the jungle, and he felt relatively certain that he knew who it was.

The Time Lord hastened toward the light. After a few seconds it vanished, but he continued in its direction. He realized that it was only a half mile or so from the village. When he saw the light intensify and begin to spread, he knew that Turlough had succeeded in igniting another fire.

He ran ahead, smelling the smoke as he got closer. He began calling his companion's name, hoping that Turlough would be able to respond. To his left he heard rustling in the brush, and he paused for a moment to squint through the darkness.

"Turlough?" he cried.

A figure stepped out of the bushes. "No, it's Aveoh."

The Doctor exhaled. "Run back to the village as quickly as you can. There's another fire." He gestured toward the growing mass of light less than fifty meters away.

Aveoh gasped. "Who has done this? It wasn't her—"

"No, it wasn't. Now hurry! You have to stop it from reaching your homes."

Aveoh sprinted away, leaving the Doctor staring at the fire. He began running again, toward the smoke and flames. When he was only a few meters from the blaze he stopped, eyes darting over the area. There, at the edge of the flames, stood Turlough, his hair fiery in the red glow. He was staring straight ahead, not making any effort to move away from the smoke billowing all around him.

"Turlough!" called the Doctor, hurrying toward his friend.

The Trion youth did not respond. When the Doctor reached him, he grasped his arm, but Turlough seemed entirely unaware of his presence. The Time Lord began pulling his companion back into the jungle, away from the fire. Turlough did not resist but moved along with shuffling steps and halting breaths.

When they were clear of the smoke, the Doctor stopped and turned to face Turlough. The young man was staring straight ahead, his pale face lit by the distant glow. The Doctor studied his expression for a moment then lifted his hands. The palms were raw and blistered, but he could still see the healing gash across Turlough's left hand.

Now the Doctor directed his gaze back to Turlough's eyes. He snapped his fingers hard before the boy's face, but this elicited no response.

"I know what you've done," the Time Lord said slowly. "And I believe that you can understand me." He watched Turlough's eyes, seeing the pupils widen slightly as the focus improved.

"That's better," he continued. "You might try to even out his respiration, too. He's not breathing very well, and at this rate he's probably going to pass out."

He waited for nearly a minute, listening to the uneven breaths as they became incrementally steadier. However, the Trion youth was still struggling to breathe naturally.

"Hmm," commented the Doctor, "it seems that you can't control some of his autonomic functions very successfully. This isn't going to work, you know. Whatever you're trying to do, it's destroying him physically." He wrapped his fingers around Turlough's wrist. "Heart rate is accelerated, muscular coordination is low—you won't be able to use him for much longer."

Turlough's mouth opened, and he made a series of grunting sounds. The Doctor waited until the noises coalesced into intelligible, if halting, speech.

"Help… us," Turlough finally said.

"What is it that you want me to do?"

It was painful to watch the young man's mouth as it twisted inexorably to form the words, but the Doctor remained silent until he spoke again.

"Find us… a new… place… to live."

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, that's what I thought you were after. You've been trying to alter the environment, but you understand now that you can't change it quickly enough to suit your needs. Turlough can't burn down the entire planet or poison all of the plants—you'll kill him long before he can even begin to make a dent in the ecosystem."

"We… know… that now."

"You must release him immediately."

"Not… until… you take… us away."

"I can't take you anywhere until he's able to tell me where my ship is. You have to free him so that he can do that."

Turlough's head swung to the side, his facial muscles contorting as he choked out, "No!"

He coughed violently, struggling to catch his breath. The Doctor saw his legs buckle and reached out to grab his arms. "Stop this! Killing him won't do you any good. At least allow him to function—to breathe on his own."

Turlough's head lolled back, but his mouth formed the words, "He will live… until we… have a new home."

"At what cost to him?"

"There are… thousands of us… and he is… only one," Turlough's voice croaked out. He gasped again in an effort to inhale.

The Doctor rubbed at Turlough's chest to stimulate more even respiration. He could hear agitated voices nearing and realized that the villagers had arrived to fight the fire. Wrapping his arm around Turlough's back, he began walking toward the village, keeping amongst the brush in the hopes of avoiding a meeting with any of the residents.

Turlough's legs moved unsteadily, and his breath continued to come in ragged gasps. The Doctor focused his own attention on reaching the village then Cabar's hut. He heaved Turlough through the doorway, eyes locking on the wan young woman who lay on a mat upon the floor. A blanket covered her legs and torso. The shaman sat beside her, tending a small flame over a bowl of incense.

"How is she?" asked the Doctor immediately, lowering Turlough to the ground. The young man sank back against the wall as the Time Lord hurried forward to check on Tegan.

"I've done what I can," Cabar replied. "She's in the spirits' hands now. I pray that they will see what she has sacrificed and take pity on her."

The Doctor bent down and touched Tegan's cheek to find her skin still too warm but not violently hot as it had been before. She was breathing shallowly but steadily, and her heartbeat, while not as strong as he would have liked, was rhythmic.

"She hasn't awakened?" he asked.

Cabar shook his head. "No."

The Time Lord removed a small torch from his pocket and, lifting her eyelid, shone the beam into her eye. He sighed. "Well, at least she's not comatose; brain activity doesn't appear altered. I suppose we'll just have to wait for her to wake."

The shaman had shifted his attention to Turlough, who remained slumped against the wall, eyes open wide but gaze unfocused. Cabar stood and walked cautiously toward the Trion youth.

"I feel it now," Cabar said.

The Doctor straightened. "Yes, there is another presence living within him. That's what you sensed before."

"But it's not a spirit? It's hurting him—it must be something dark."

The Doctor returned to Turlough's side. He removed his companion's tie and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt, speaking as he worked. "They are having a very negative effect on him, but I don't believe it was their intent to harm him."

"They? Doctor, I don't understand."

He rested his hand on Turlough's chest and murmured, "A bit better, I think." He looked up at the shaman again. "You told me that you had always felt a spiritual presence by the stream, that it had been there for generations

Cabar nodded in acknowledgement.

"It wasn't spirits. It was a race of sentient beings, an entire world so small that it fit within a few crevices in a rock. It was their life force that you sensed."

"But they must have been so tiny! How is that possible?"

"A friend of mine once wrote, 'There are more things in heaven and earth…than are dreamt of in your philosophy.'" The Doctor appeared lost in reminiscence for a moment, then, with a shake of his head, continued. "He meant that we cannot know all that exists in our world or in others. Did you know that there are entire galaxies," he swept a hand upward toward the sky, "that would fit in that bowl?" He pointed at one of the incense containers.

Cabar's expression showed his astonishment. "I had no idea."

"No, most humans don't. But at least you're open to the idea."

"So these tiny people lived in the rocks by the stream."

"I'm not sure that 'people' is an accurate word, but yes, these beings have dwelt there for centuries, I would guess—probably since before the volcanic eruptions. Most likely they were travelers who were somehow stranded here. As the environment of the planet has changed, they have found it more and more difficult to survive. An oxygen-rich atmosphere is not ideal for them. I believe that conditions had grown so inhospitable that they felt their only option was to leave, to find a place more suited to their needs. But they required a means of travel. May I see your hands?"

Cabar blinked in surprise at the sudden shift in the conversation, but he held up his hands for the Doctor's inspection.

"Ah, yes, just as I thought." The Doctor touched a few nearly-healed blisters on the man's palm. "You had injured your hands the night before we arrived."

The shaman nodded. "I was attending a birth, and the mother had a difficult time. Her pain was terrible, and I had to prepare a great quantity of incense and herbs for her. My hands were raw from the mortar."

"They sensed the open wound and tried to enter your body through it."

Cabar gaped at the Time Lord. "They wanted to get inside me?"

"Yes, I think so. However, something stopped them; for some reason they weren't able to enter your body. But what you felt that morning was their attempt to do so."

Cabar shuddered as his eyes moved to Turlough. "They took him instead."

Lifting Turlough's wrist, the Doctor nodded. "He cut his hand on the rock that they lived in," he explained, touching the scrape. "They slipped in here then traveled to his brain, where they worked for several days to take full control of his mind. He must have resisted at first—some part of him was still able to function normally—but from the very beginning I think they were influencing him. They made him set the fire and put the poison in the stream. They were trying to change the environment back to the way it was before."

Cabar exhaled deeply. "How can we send them away?"

"I'm not sure. If I knew why they had abandoned their attempts with you it might give me some idea…"

Tegan made a small noise, something between a sigh and a moan. The Doctor returned to her side. He could see her eyes moving beneath her lids. He took her hand and said gently, "Tegan, can you hear me?"

Slowly her eyes opened. "Doc… tor?" she whispered raspily.

"It's all right." Carefully he lifted her head as Cabar handed him a cup of water. She took a sip before her eyes moved to the shaman. She nearly choked as she gasped and huddled into the Doctor.

"He's not going to harm you," the Doctor told her, wrapping his arm around her. "You're safe."

"He…" she stammered, snippets and flashes of terrible pain returning to her memory. "He tried to kill me."

"I'm sorry," Cabar said, his voice shaking with emotion. "I didn't know… I thought I was saving your spirit from the darkness."

Turlough coughed, and she turned her head to look at him. "Cripes, what's the matter with him?"

"He's been taken over by another life form," the Doctor replied.

Cabar was surprised that Tegan did not seem particularly disturbed by this. Indeed, she simply nodded.

"That explains it," she said. "He moved the TARDIS and set the fire, didn't he? He must have poisoned the water, too."

"Yes," confirmed the Doctor. She was still leaning against him, so he lifted her chin and looked down at her. "I'm sorry that I didn't believe you."

She did not acknowledge his apology. Instead she said, "How are we going to help him?"

"You," he emphasized the pronoun, "are going to rest here." He pulled the blanket back up over her. "I need to think."

He stood and clasped his hands behind his back, pacing the length of the hut. Cabar offered Tegan the cup of water again, and she took it hesitantly from his hand.

"I have no words that can express how sorry I am," he said softly.

She did not look at him but granted him a very small nod. They both watched the Time Lord walking back and forth. After a few minutes he halted abruptly.

"That's it!" he exclaimed, spinning on his heel to face the shaman and Tegan with a grin.

"What's it?" she asked somewhat warily.

"The dreaming tea," he answered. "That's what kept them out." He walked toward Cabar and continued, "You drink a great deal of it, don't you?"

"I use it often."

"Could you have had any in your system that morning by the stream?"

"I had taken a small, weak cup just before I went to bed, but I was summoned by the midwife, so I never slept that night."

"But the chemicals might have remained in your body." The Doctor began rummaging through the dried herbs that sat in baskets on low shelves and upon the floor. "What's in it?"

Cabar began, "It is a sacred mixture—"

"I understand that," the Doctor interjected, "but Turlough's life is at stake. Show me what you put in it."

Cabar stood slowly and walked to a small clay jar on a shelf near the wall. He handed the container to the Doctor, who lifted the lid and sniffed it. He squinted down at the contents. "I'm not sure what this is."

"It comes from the toads that live near the stream."

"Venom?"

Cabar nodded. "They secrete it when they're frightened. I don't harm them when I take it—"

"Of course not."

"You make tea out of toads?" Tegan asked.

"Not the toads, Tegan, just their venom," the Doctor clarified. "Among some species it's a powerful toxin. On Earth more than one unfortunate family dog has died from licking a toad that's secreted the bufotoxin as a natural defense mechanism. In small amounts it can have hallucinogenic properties when ingested by humans. That's why it seems to stimulate dreams when used here."

"And you're thinking that if you give it to Turlough it'll kill the critters," she finished.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Kill them? I hope not."

"But look what they've done to him!" she protested.

"They had no choice. I'm not happy about it, but I do understand their desperation. I'm hoping that the toxic properties of the venom will make his body uninhabitable for them and that they'll simply leave."

"But how do you know it will work?" asked Cabar. "You can't be certain that it's what prevented them from taking me."

"There's only one way to find out," the Doctor said brightly. He was already walking toward the small fire that burned at the back of the hut. "Anyone for a pot of tea?"


	11. Chapter 11

Cabar brewed a strong batch of tea. When it was ready the Doctor took a small cup of it to Turlough. He had grown even paler, and his breathing was increasingly labored; the invaders, it seemed, had not been successful in their attempts to regulate his body's functioning. Still, the Doctor knew that they would continue to try, and he worried that they would cause further damage with their efforts.

The Doctor crouched beside Turlough and lifted the cup to his mouth. "Just a sip," he encouraged.

Turlough's nose wrinkled as he sniffed the brew. Suddenly his arms flew up, knocking the cup from the Doctor's hand and sending the Time Lord tumbling back onto the floor. The young man clambered to his feet, eyes darting from side to side. He turned and lumbered toward the door.

Cabar hurried to catch Turlough's arm as the Doctor picked himself up. Despite his weakened condition, Turlough twisted and kicked at the shaman, nearly freeing himself before the Doctor took his other arm firmly.

"I think," said the Time Lord, "that we know the answer to our question about the tea."

"So give it to him!" Tegan urged.

"Not here," the Doctor said. With a glance at Cabar, he added, "Help me with him."

Together the two men began to maneuver Turlough through the door. He was struggling fiercely, his breaths coming in great, halting gasps. For a moment the Doctor stopped and took Turlough's face in his hand.

"We're trying to help you!" he said.

Turlough shook his head. "No… trying to… kill us." With a final burst of energy, he swung his arms out, landing powerful blows on both the Doctor and Cabar. The men stumbled back as Turlough lunged for the doorway.

As the Doctor blinked to clear his vision, he saw Tegan looming above him. She held a jug in her hand.

"Sorry," she muttered, "but you'll thank me later—well, maybe you won't, but this is for your own good." As her words tumbled out, she swung the jug. It hit Turlough on the back of the head, and he fell to his knees then slid down to the ground.

Her efforts had drained her of the small bit of energy that had returned, and she leaned gratefully into the Doctor when he reached for her. Cabar bent to examine Turlough.

"He's still alive," the shaman reported.

"I should hope so," Tegan huffed. "I was only trying to stop him. I didn't even hit him that hard."

The Doctor waggled a finger at her in gentle remonstration. "You could have hurt him badly."

"He tried to hurt you, and if he'd managed to get out of here who knows what trouble he would have got into."

"Well, what's done is done," the Doctor said. He began leading Tegan back to the mat, but she resisted.

"I'm going with you," she said.

"You most certainly are not!" he replied. "You need to stay here and rest—"

"I'll be fine. Besides, you may need my help again."

He knew it was no use trying to dissuade her. With a brief shake of his head he took Turlough's shoulders as Cabar lifted his feet. They carried him out the door.

* * *

The fire glowed in the distance, beautiful yet strangely disarming in the darkness. Cabar and the Doctor carried Turlough through the jungle. Tegan held a lantern as she walked just in front of them. She was glad that they could not move quickly; her legs felt disturbingly wobbly. Still, she was determined to be of assistance. In her other hand she held a cup of tea. She had to walk carefully to keep it from spilling.

Cabar directed her steps, telling her to go to the right or left. She could not really ascertain in which direction they were moving, and when she heard the sound of running water she was surprised to see that they were near the stream.

"Over there," the Doctor said, tilting his head toward the small rock formation.

Tegan set the lantern in the grass as the men lowered Turlough so that his back rested against the rocks. He was coming around, still groggy but gradually growing more alert.

The Australian watched with interest as the Doctor pulled a small penknife from his pocket then took Turlough's hand. Exposing the palm, he swiftly made a fresh cut over the healing scrape.

"Sorry," he murmured when the young man made a small grunt of pain. He positioned Turlough's hand carefully on one of the rocks.

"Hold it there," he instructed Cabar. "Don't allow him to move it."

Cabar nodded.

"Tegan, the tea, please," the Doctor requested. "You may need to hold his head."

She passed him the cup and then pressed her hands against Turlough's temples as the Doctor lifted the tea to his lips. The Time Lord tilted up the cup, managing to splash a good helping into Turlough's mouth before he began to struggle again.

The Doctor clapped his hand over Turlough's lips. "Swallow it," he instructed. "Turlough, listen to me. You have to swallow it."

Turlough's eyes seemed to bulge out, and for an instant he ceased moving. With an audible gulp, he swallowed the tea then opened his mouth to gasp for breath.

"It's going to be all right," the Doctor said gently. Tegan wasn't sure if he was addressing Turlough or the beings residing within him.

She moved her hand down to give his shoulder a squeeze then knelt beside the Doctor. She watched Turlough anxiously. He began to squirm, legs and arms moving slowly then suddenly stiffening. He gasped out, "No!"

"You can't remain in him any longer," the Doctor said firmly. "The toxin won't leave his system for at least six hours, and you can't survive it that long. We're back at the rock, at your home. You have no choice but to return there."

Turlough's head moved from side to side as his eyes rolled back. "No, no, no," he stammered, then his head snapped up and his eyes shot open to stare straight ahead.

"Please don't hurt him any more," Tegan said.

Turlough's arm began to twitch then jerk, but Cabar held his hand in place firmly. When the Trion youth's breaths began to come in strenuous, labored gasps Tegan reached for the Doctor's shoulder.

"Can't you do something to help him?" she asked anxiously.

He shook his head. "Hang on, Turlough," he encouraged. "Listen to my voice. Try to hear me, to focus on me now. Stay calm, and don't worry. As soon as they've gone your body will be able to regain its normal function, but it's going to take a little time. They've got a long journey ahead of them. Just hang on for a little while longer."

"How long?" whispered Tegan.

"They have to travel from his brain to his hand. It depends upon which route they take. If they come down the carotid to the axillary, then join up with the brachial artery—"

"Cripes, Doctor, you make it sound like a road map!"

He shrugged. "For them it is."

His gaze moved to Turlough's neck. He watched the slight pulsing with interest. Perhaps they were passing through at this very moment…

"Doctor?" Tegan's voice broke his concentration.

He opened his eyes and responded somewhat wearily, "Yes Tegan?"

She was pointing at Turlough's face. "Something's happening—"

Turlough's expression had changed. His muscles had grown slack, his jaw drooping and his eyelids dropping down. His hand was jerking beneath Cabar's pressure, but then he stilled. His head fell forward.

"Turlough?" The Doctor pressed his fingers against his companion's neck. "I told you to hang on! You have to stay with us!"

"What's going on?" Tegan asked in alarm.

"His heart has stopped."

"They've killed him?"

"No—I don't know." The Doctor pulled Turlough down to the ground, uncaring now that his hand had slipped out from beneath Cabar's. He pressed his own hands over the young man's heart, waiting, hoping to feel a beat.

"Come on, Turlough," he entreated, "you have to stay with us."

Tegan had reached out to take his wrist. "There's no pulse," she said softly, her voice quavering.

Shaking his head, the Doctor lifted his hands and clenched one into a fist. He brought it down hard in the center of Turlough's chest.

"Stop it!" Tegan cried. "You're going to hurt him!"

"I'm trying to start his heart," the Time Lord replied sharply.

"That's not how to do it! Don't you know CPR—"

"That's not what he needs," the Doctor bit back. "This enhances cardiac activity and should return his heart to normal sinus rhythm—" He had flattened his palm over Turlough's chest. He frowned and lifted his arm again, delivering another sharp blow.

Tegan felt Turlough's body reverberate against her. She blinked back tears, holding onto his wrist even more firmly, frightened by the stillness, the lack of the steady pulse beat that had always been just there beneath the surface. She saw the Doctor raise his arm again.

"Wait!" she cried. "I think I feel something."

The Doctor's hand pressed against Turlough's chest. His frown deepened, then his expression broke into a smile. "Indeed you do."

Tegan watched Turlough's chest rise and fall once, then again. By his fifth inhalation, she was grinning. She ruffled his hair with her hand. "I knew you could do it," she told him.

She watched his face, noticing that his eyelids were moving. After a minute or so Turlough lifted his hand and opened his eyes. He blinked up at the three anxious faces that looked down on him.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

The Doctor responded with a question of his own. "How are you feeling?"

Turlough began to sit up, assisted by the Time Lord's arm around his shoulders. "I'm… uh…" He frowned, rubbing a hand over his chest. "I feel like someone kicked me."

Tegan shot the Doctor a reprimanding look, but he ignored her. "Aside from the soreness, are you having any difficulty breathing?"

Turlough shook his head and opened his mouth to respond, but he paused to squint at his companions. Slowly he lifted his hands, staring at them as they moved up to touch his face. "Twenty fingers," he muttered. His eyes moved to Tegan. "And two of you. As if one weren't bad enough…"

The air hostess scowled at the slur, but before she could respond Cabar said, "It's the tea. He's going to start dreaming soon."

"Dreaming?" Tegan repeated. "More like—rabbits, he's tripping!"

Turlough had tilted his head back to stare up at the sky. He was grinning broadly and pointing. "I can see it," he said happily, "it's Trion. It's right there, next to the orange bunnies driving the roadsters. But how can that be? They're wearing celery in their lapels!" He began to laugh.

Tegan rolled her eyes then touched Cabar's hand. "How long is this going to last?"

"The tea was very strong. He's going to dream for many hours."

She sighed. "It's going to be a long night."

* * *

The setting sun cast a rosy glow over the village. A faint smoky smell still hung in the air, but the fire had been fully extinguished just after dawn. The villagers had spent the day cleaning up the debris then had settled down for a few hours of much-needed rest. The village was quiet now.

The night had not been easy for the Doctor and his companions, either. Turlough's hallucinations had shifted from whimsical to terrifying by turns, with images of flames and battles filling his mind as often as vibrant colors and fantastic figures seemed to swirl before his unseeing eyes.

They had managed to return to Cabar's hut before the most intense visions overtook the Trion refugee. Still, at times they had needed to restrain him gently or assuage his fears with calming words and soothing touches. Surprisingly Tegan had found that her hands upon his face or shoulders had the most quieting effect on him. She had offered what comfort she could, but as dawn approached her energy waned; her own recent ordeal had affected her more than she wanted to admit.

By the time Turlough began to settle down, the effects of the tea lessening, Tegan had been close to collapse. Leaving Turlough in Cabar's capable hands, the Doctor had taken her to Mita's hut, where he had half-carried her the last few meters to the bed. He had checked on her several times throughout the day and found her soundly asleep, breathing steadily though still a bit pale. He would be certain that she had a good meal as soon as she awoke, but for the moment sleep was the best medicine he could offer.

Now he surveyed the village for a few minutes before returning to Cabar's hut. It was a beautiful place, really, and he knew that Tegan and Turlough could live comfortably here for some time—if it came to that. But he hoped that Turlough would be able to recall where he had sent the TARDIS. The young man had just begun stirring when the Time Lord left the hut; perhaps he had awakened fully by now. The shaman was outside tending his herb garden and nodded for the Doctor to go in.

The Doctor entered to find Turlough sitting at the small table sipping something from a cup. His hair was mussed, and he had dark circles beneath his eyes, but he seemed to be in full control of his body.

"How are you feeling?" the Doctor asked as he moved toward his friend.

Turlough looked up. "Like I've been drawn and quartered." He ran a hand through his hair then winced, lowering his hand to study the blisters on his right palm and the bandage wrapped around his left. "What the hell happened to me?"

The Doctor sat down next to him. "You don't remember?"

Turlough shook his head. "No, but I feel like I was in a fight for my life. My hands are raw, my head's pounding, and I think I cracked a couple of ribs." He rubbed his fingers over his chest. His tie had been removed many hours ago, and the top few shirt buttons were undone still.

The Doctor leaned forward and moved aside the fabric. A purplish bruise was forming in the center of Turlough's chest. The Time Lord ran his fingertips delicately over the area, pressing as lightly as possible. Still, Turlough sucked in a sharp breath.

"Sorry," the Doctor said curtly. "There's nothing broken, but you're going to have a rather nasty bruise, I'm afraid."

"Yeah?" He looked down at the mark. "But how did I get it?"

"I'll see if Cabar has something for the pain. And keep drinking that juice. You're dehydrated; that's what's causing your headache."

The Doctor began to stand, but Turlough grasped his forearm. "Wait. Tell me what happened."

With a sigh, the Time Lord settled back into his chair. "All right, but first I want you to tell me something."

"What?" the Trion youth asked tiredly.

"Where did you send the TARDIS?"

"Me? I—" Turlough's forehead creased, and he rubbed at his temples. "Oh God, I set the coordinates."

"Yes, you did, but not of your own volition."

"No, you're wrong. I did choose where to send it."

"But you were being controlled by something else—"

Turlough nodded slowly as understanding dawned on him. "I was. I didn't want to, but I had to set the coordinates, and then I had to set the fire—" He stopped. "How long ago was that?"

"Two days."

Turlough swallowed hard. "Did I do anything else?"

"What do you remember?"

"Walking to the stream, going out into the jungle to find—I'm not sure what I was supposed to find." He lifted his hands again. "How did I do this?"

"You chopped down a great quantity of brush."

"When?"

"Last night."

"Another fire? I set an even bigger one?" His eyes had widened in alarm.

"It's out now. And no one was seriously hurt."

"But they could have been."

The Doctor leaned forward again to rest his hand on Turlough's arm. "But they weren't. None of this was your fault."

"I still don't understand what happened."

"I'll explain everything, but right now I need to know where the TARDIS is."

Turlough shook his head. "I remember going to the secondary console room—less chance of Tegan spotting me—and my hands were on the keys, I was punching in…" He closed his eyes and rubbed at his forehead. "I think…" Suddenly he looked up. "You need to go back where you left it."

"It's not there. I already checked the entire area."

"Check again."

The Time Lord shook his head. "Turlough, it's no use—"

"Please, Doctor, just have another look."

"All right."

The Doctor left the hut and walked briskly to the landing site. He knew that he was just placating Turlough, but after all the young man had been through, it was the least he could do. As he emerged from the brush, he could not suppress a small gasp. The TARDIS stood precisely where it had materialized three days before. He stood staring for nearly a minute then walked slowly toward the door.

"Glad you checked now?"

He turned back to see Turlough standing at the edge of the clearing, winded but pleased.

"How did you know it would be here?"

Turlough smiled. "I remember now. I knew that they were going to send it away—I couldn't stop them from doing that. They made me type in coordinates, but they didn't understand how it all worked. So I sent the TARDIS a few days into the future. I figured that way it would return us—Tegan and me, I mean—right back here."

The Doctor was grinning. "Good thinking, Turlough."

"I thought we'd still be inside, though, so that when we landed they'd think I'd done as they wanted. I didn't anticipate rushing out to help Tegan and stranding us here."

"No, you couldn't have known that would happen. You did the best you could under the circumstances."

The young man shrugged. "I didn't really know what else to do—hell, I'm not even sure I really knew what I was doing. At least I had some control over my actions then."

The Doctor walked back to Turlough. "It really wasn't your fault, you know."

"Wasn't it?"

"It could have been any one of us. You were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I seem to have a knack for that."

With a brief, sympathetic nod, the Doctor clapped a hand lightly to Turlough's back. "Come on. Let's tell Tegan the good news."


	12. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Several hours later the Doctor, Tegan, and Turlough trooped through the jungle once again. The Time Lord held a small object in his hand. He had evaded his companions' questions about it, merely saying that they would see what its use was shortly.

They took a different path from the village, and neither Tegan nor Turlough realized that they were heading for the stream until they stepped out of the brush and saw the water reflected in the moonlight. The rock formation stood a few meters away.

"That's where they came from, then," Turlough said, moving toward the rock. He felt a strong sense of resentment when he thought of what the creatures had done to him, but he was oddly drawn to the rock just the same.

"Yes," the Doctor acknowledged. "That's been their home for centuries. Initially they thrived from the gases of the volcanic eruptions, but since the local activity ceased, they have slowly become poisoned by the planet's natural conditions."

"How did you figure it out?" asked Tegan. She had been uncharacteristically quiet during the walk, and even now her tone was slightly hostile.

The Doctor knelt before the rock and pointed at one of the fissures. "Do you see this very faint glow?" he asked.

The two humans bent to study the minute opening. Indeed there was a slight hint of light that could easily have been mistaken for a reflection from the water or moonlight. Tegan reached out to touch the rock, but Turlough grabbed her hand.

"Are you trying to invite them in?" he snapped.

She pulled her hand back to her chest. "No, I—"

"It's all right," the Doctor said. "They can't enter through unbroken skin. That glow is from their waste products. As they biodegrade, they produce minute amounts of phosphorus. That's what alerted me to their presence."

"But how did you know what they were?" Turlough asked. "It could have been anything—moss or some tiny insect."

"I could sense them," he replied softly. "Their sentience was quite strong. There was a distinct intelligence and desperation coming from them—the ones who'd remained behind. And when I recalled that you had cut your hand right here, I put it all together."

As he spoke, he fiddled with the container, removing the top to reveal a very small slit in a rubber-like covering. He tilted the container up and held it over the fissure, pulling open the slit with his fingertips. It made a faint sucking sound.

"What are you doing?" Tegan asked, leaning forward. "Rabbits! You're putting them inside!"

"Doctor, you can't—" Turlough began, but he stopped, eyes drawn to the rock.

The Doctor looked up at him and saw an odd calm in his face.

"You remember how desperate they were, don't you?" the Time Lord asked gently. "You could feel that much from them."

Turlough nodded.

"What are you going to do with them?" asked Tegan.

"We'll take them to a more suitable planet where they can thrive again." The Doctor carefully sealed the lid around the top of the container then stood, holding it up before his face. "You're almost home."

* * *

The villagers had wanted to host a feast for their guests, but the visitors declined, instead saying a few good-byes then returning quietly to the TARDIS. Once inside, the Doctor had quickly set the coordinates for a planet called Salbalta-7; he felt it would be an ideal environment for his tiny passengers.

Tegan opted to remain inside while the Doctor and Turlough took the container out onto the surface of the bleak, cold world. When they returned a few minutes later she had disappeared from the console room.

Turlough went off to take a shower, and the Time Lord lingered over the control panel for several minutes. However, he could not concentrate on the keys or the screen. Finally, with a rather dramatic sigh, he walked down the hall.

He found Tegan sitting on a bench in the rose garden. Her back was toward him when he entered, but he could see her shoulders shaking. He almost backed out of the garden, knowing that he could move without making a sound…

"I forgot to get the soil," he finally said, walking toward her.

Her head was bent, and as he neared her he saw that a deep yellow rose lay across her lap. He rested his hand tentatively upon her shoulder.

"Stupid thorns," she muttered, and he saw that she was gripping the ring finger of her right hand with her left thumb and forefinger.

He sat down beside her and took her hand. "Let me see," he said softly.

A drop of blood welled from her finger. He dabbed at it with his handkerchief. "You picked a beautiful one," he commented, glancing at the gorgeous rose in her lap.

She did not reply, so he continued. "Traditionally, on Earth, yellow roses represent friendship."

She turned her head to face him. Tears still streaked her cheeks. "Friendship?" she repeated. "I wouldn't know."

"Tegan, I—" he began, but she shook her head.

"Don't."

"No, I…" He looked away from her, focusing his gaze instead on the neat rows of rose bushes that stretched before him. "All right."

He heard her sniff then take a breath. "That's it then? That's all you're going to say?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want to know why you thought that about me. Why you automatically assumed that I was the one doing all those things. Even after you hypnotized me and I couldn't tell you anything, you still thought it was me."

"It was a mistake. I regret it."

She shook her head. "You regret it? That's nice." Her voice was flinty. "And what Cabar did to me—that he nearly killed me, that it hurt so badly I wished I was dead? Do you regret that, too?"

He thought that fresh tears would accompany her words, but her eyes were dry now as he met her intransigent stare. He looked away before responding.

"Of course I do. I tried to prevent it, you know, but he'd arranged for the men to take you away while he and I were talking." He forced himself to look back at her. "But I did come for you. I did stop him, at the end…"

"But if you'd just believed me in the first place—"

He granted her a curt nod. "I should have looked into things more carefully."

She ran her fingers over the soft rose petals, waiting for him to continue. Finally he touched her hand, brushing his fingertips over the burn.

"Turlough did this," he said. "He put a combination of herbs in the oil lamp in your room that night—I checked the lamp and found the residue. As they burned down and you were exposed to more of the smoke, you became slightly disoriented. For a few moments, I imagine right as you entered the jungle, you probably lost consciousness. That's when he did it."

"So he knew all along what he was doing."

The Time Lord shook his head. "No, not consciously. They began controlling him as soon as they reached his brain."

Tegan took a breath. "And you never suspected that it was him."

"No, not until the end."

He stood and extended his hand to her. She looked up, a measure of resentment still clouding her expression. He reached out further to grasp her hand gently and pull her up.

Still, she balked.

"Come on," he said, a hint of cheer creeping into his voice.

"Where?"

He smiled at her, though the movements were slightly strained. "I'm going to make you a cup of tea."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise, but she did not resist. Setting the rose carefully upon the bench, she allowed him to lead her out of the garden.


End file.
